A Demon's Toy
by KrazeeBunny
Summary: Ember Lux Kensington, a neko, has lived on the streets since she was 7 when her parents died in an explosion. When she is on the run, she happens to meet the one man—or rather demon—that changes her life completely. Unfortunately, his sadistic, controlling Mistress, Coraline, won't let her have him quite that easily…
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Get back here, thief!" the sweaty overweight security guard yelled after me. I cast an evil, satisfied smirk over my shoulder. His face was slick with sweat as he held up his pants with one hand while waving a baton at me with the other. I laughed and took off running even faster.

As I ran down the sidewalk, feet pounding against the pavement, I was surprised he was still chasing after me five blocks away from the store I had stolen the food from. I mean seriously? Were two salmons, an orange, and a bottle of water really worth this kind of chase?

I checked behind me and judged the distance between me and the guard. It would be close, but I'd have time. I cut left down an alley and stashed the stolen food behind a few trash bags before crouching down behind the dumpster and quickly stripping off my clothes. I stashed my clothing behind the dumpster before feeling the familiar tremor come over my body involved with the shifting.

I heard the heavy pounding of feet turn into the alley and slow to a stop.

"That little bitch got away!" he snarled spraying spit everywhere. _Dude, say it don't spray it_, I thought irritably to myself.

I trotted out from beside the dumpster with a soft meow. The guard's beady eyes dropped from the brick wall a few feet in front of him down to me. I sat down on the damp cement and curled my long black tail around my back legs. I tilted my head to the side; my left ear twitching when he smiled at me exposing crooked, yellow teeth.

"Hey there, kitty," he cooed stretching a beefy hand out to pat my head.

Before his fingers could come within a foot of me, I arched my back forcing every hair on my back to stand on end. My tiny mouth stretched open wide revealing sharp, tiny teeth as a demonic hiss emitted from deep within my throat spraying small bits of spit out onto the ground.

His recoil was a lot faster than I had guessed for a man of his size. He mumbled something under his breath about thieves and cats before exiting the alley. I followed him to the mouth of the alley watching as he waddled his way back to the store. As I was staring after the guard, from my peripheral vision I saw a petite woman with long blonde hair clicking her heels down the sidewalk. I turned my head a fraction of an inch to the side so as to keep an eye on her and the guard. The woman seemed familiar, but I knew I had never really seen her before in my life.

When the guard disappeared from sight, I focused on the woman who, I now noticed, had a very tall man dressed in a butler uniform following along behind her carrying an umbrella. My right ear twitched. Damn rich people. As I turned my back to her to go back down the alley and shift back to grab my belongings, I suddenly felt a dark presence behind me. Before I had time to react a pair of strong, slender hands slid under my belly and lifted me off the ground. I squirmed uncomfortably in his grasp for a moment before being flipped over onto my back to be cradled in the crook of the man's arm.

Being a cat, we don't take well to being forced onto our backs like a dog and exposing our more vulnerable underside. The moment my predator green eyes met another pair of predator eyes—only a deep blood red—my insides churned. Whether it was from fear or pure awe I wasn't sure, but I was utterly captivated. He was like me. A natural born predator stuck inside a tightly enclosed cage of skin all for the sake of appearing normal while on the surface world. Well…I wasn't a NATURAL born neko, but…I'd explain that later.

"Sebastian!" A shrill voice cried. "Put that disgusting alley cat down. You're going to ruin your gloves and get hair all over your outfit," she commanded with a huff.

"Of course, Mistress," he humbly replied in a deep voice that had a British drawl to it. His voice was full of faux warmth as he smiled kindly over at the woman. I could see the yearning in his eyes to simply kill her then and there, but was being forced to restrain the predator inside of him.

Snapping out of the daze I was in, a growl shook my tiny body as my small paw swiped across the man's—Sebastian's— face. My razor sharp claws sliced cleanly into the flesh of his cheek drawing blood. It was usually around that time when the person would drop me, clutching their wound while mumbling expletives. He, however, merely wiped a finger across the cut and collected a drop of blood on the pad of his index finger. Our eyes never breaking contact, Sebastian slipped the bloodied finger into his mouth and slowly pulled it out. His finger glistened with saliva; his finger pad clean.

He gingerly placed me on the ground and briefly scratched behind my ears as he murmured, "Good girl."

My eyes widened in shock as he stood to his full height, the cuts on his cheek already beginning to heal right before my eyes. The ends of his lips curled upward into a devilish grin as he returned to the side of his mistress who was now berating him for his actions.

I stared after him all the while wondering who he was and more importantly WHAT he was.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I finally reached my safe haven (or home as I temporarily perceived it as). It wasn't much of a "home". It was an old abandoned shed that had been used to store the owner's belongings. The house that sat a few hundred feet in front of it had completely collapsed in on itself making it unlivable. That was fine though. The shed was plenty large enough for one person.

The property the house sat on was currently not owned which made it the best place for a street kid such as myself to stay for a while. It was located just outside of town away from peering eyes and nosy neighbors. Fortunately, when I had found the shed I'd had to do very little fix up of the place to make it feel "homely". The person (I am going to assume it was a man based off the large amount of sports items I found) had already furnished the place for me minus the television and stereo system. I imagine they loaded that up with them when they abandoned the place. So I already had a nice set up that included a couch, side tables, a used and abused microwave, some seriously outdated cookware, and a couple of antique lamps that sat on the side tables.

If there was anything I needed to cook on a stove or in an oven, I either burnt the shit out of it in the microwave or I started a small bonfire outside and roasted it over the open flames. _Heaven forbid they leave me with a nice grill to cook food on,_ I sighed. Oh well. I was lucky to have what I did. Thankfully they had left behind the mini fridge where, I'm assuming, they kept the beers. Overall? I was comfortable in my "home".

I slid off my light jacket and tossed it on the floor somewhere near the couch. The next thing I removed was my baseball cap revealing a pair of red-tipped black cat ears. I'll explain about my neko side later. As for now…

I threw the salmon, orange, and what was left of the water inside the fridge before stripping down out of the rest of my clothes. Completely naked, I stepped outside and began making my way down the familiar path through the woods to the lake. Once there, I did my best to scrub my clothes clean (since they were the only ones I had left at the moment) before laying them out in the grass to dry.

With that I dove into the cool lake water loving the feel of it completely engulfing my body and gliding smoothly along my bare flesh as I surfaced for air. Although it was true most cats (and nekos) despised the very thought of the liquid substance, I enjoyed it immensely. Then again most nekos had frequent access to a nice shower with clean, hot water whereas I did not.

As I floated on my back through the calm waters, I made a mental checklist of what I needed to steal on my next trip into town. _Let's see…I need soap, a wash cloth, maybe some of those travel size hair care stuff, a razor, more food, more water…_ I scratched at my ear. It wouldn't hurt to obtain some flea shampoo, too. Just in case.

I sighed and dipped my body under the water to where only my eyes and the top of my head were visible. There was one thing that continued to trump all my other thoughts. That was of the man—the butler—Sebastian. There was more to him than just being a butler. The blatant blood red color of his eyes told me that. At first I had thought maybe they were contacts, but the longer I had stared into those mesmerizing eyes, the more obvious it became that they WEREN'T the production of contacts.

Plenty of supernatural beings had uniquely colored eyes or the ability to change their eye color, so what exactly was he? And had he been born a monster or had he been a lab experiment like me?

**Twelve years ago**

_I pulled at the shackles that were biting into my wrists and ankles. The bright splash of red staining my ivory white skin. I had already been a rather pale seven year old due to a rare illness that had struck me a couple years ago. After they had strapped me down a few hours ago and drained out a few gallons of my blood, my skin had paled into a translucent white._

_ Although I knew I didn't have the strength to break the metal cuffs, I continued to fight to break free. I was still confused as to why I was here in the first place. I had been having a nice, quiet family dinner with my parents when my eyes had started growing heavy with sleep. I vaguely remember seeing my parents standing up from their chairs and feeling my dad swing me up into his arms. When I had woken up, I had found myself strapped to this metal table with a red tube running from each of my arms. It had hit me then that the tube was painted red from my blood that was flowing through the plastic tunnel to the large jugs sitting beside the table._

_ The only person I had seen since then was a woman dressed in a white jumpsuit with a surgeon's mask hiding the bottom of her face. Her deep brown hair had been combed back into a tight bun on the back of her head. She had only come in that single time to remove the tubes from my arms, place some gauze over the injection wound, and leave with the jugs of my blood in either hand._

_ I had tried screaming out for help multiple times, but no one had come even to shut me up. That had brought me to one conclusion: I was being held in a soundproof room. So, time had elapsed as my eyes focused on the blindingly white ceiling. The entire room was washed in a dizzy, white color. I assumed a few hours had passed since the woman had come, but in reality it could have easily been a few minutes. There was no way of telling what time it was considering the only thing in the white room was me and the metal table I was strapped to._

_ My struggles slowly ceased as my eyes began growing heavy once more with sleep. My vision began to tunnel making the edges of the room grow dark while the center grew increasingly brighter. Black dots began swimming across my line of vision. Somewhere in the back of my seven year old mind, I had known I was beginning to die. Instead of being scared the way I had always figured I would be upon my death bed, I only felt a sense of peace wash over me. The pain had eventually faded away into numbness._

_ As it grew more difficult to hold my eyes open, the woman from before entered the room from the sliding door she had exited through earlier._

_ "Help me…please…" I quietly begged of her. Familiar honey brown eyes met mine. In those eyes I saw love, sadness, regret, and the begging of forgiveness. Those brown eyes began to sparkle with unshed tears._

_ "Mom?" I whispered barely feeling the long, thin needle being inserted deep into the main artery of my neck. She injected a bluish-black substance into my body before tightening the cuffs around my wrists and ankles. I watched, confused, as she left the room._

_ Shortly after she disappeared, I felt a searing pain around the injection point on my neck. Within seconds, that itching, burning feeling spread like wildfire throughout my body. It made my fingers and toes tingle like thousands of needles were being inserted into my flesh. My tiny body thrashed and spasmed upon the large metal table. The edges of the metal cuffs bit deeper into my delicate skin causing what little blood I had left to leak out._

_ A gut wrenching scream tore free from my esophagus, filling the once quiet room with the sound of agony and pure, raw terror. Soon all I could see was black. The white of the room had gone. Everything had now turned into a murky black. I heard the gruesome sound of my bones changing and shifting inside my body while a terrible ripping could be felt on my head._

_ "MOM! DAD!" I futilely cried out as hot tears ran from the corners of my eyes down the side of my face to warm my ears._

_ The pain steadily increased inside my body. Not able to bear the agony anymore, I finally blacked out._

I opened my eyes as the memory faded. I splashed water on my face to clear away any trace of tears. Shortly after that, I had woken up to find myself free of my bindings with newfound powers and my illness cured. Upon seeing my reflection in the metal table I discovered I had grown a pair of black ears with red tips; my dark brown eyes had lightened into a pale yellow-green.

That had been when I heard the distant sounds of shouting shortly before the room vibrated from an explosion. The woman from before, along with a man, rushed into the room and grabbed me. Had I not recognized them as my parents, I might have struggled to break free from his grasp. They had set me down outside far away from the building, said their tearful goodbyes, and raced back to the lab. Moments later it had exploded sky high blowing bricks and pieces of metal everywhere. Even from where I had been cowering I could feel the immense heat from the blast. I had been too shocked to even cry over the loss of my parents.

Since then I had basically been on my own trying to learn about what had been done to me and figuring out how to survive in the world on my own. When I had tried to go back home, I found our house completely destroyed just like the lab. Throughout the twelve years, I had only met two people like me (only they had been born a neko) who had been kind enough to teach me about what I was and the things I could do. They taught me how to survive in the world. I basically owed my life to them. Too bad I had never bothered learning their true names.

I created a rolling wave of bubbles as I sighed into the water. The few questions that no one had been able to answer for me were…why? Why had my parents done what they had done? What was their purpose? And why had they chosen to experiment on their only daughter? I stood up out of the water, shivering when the cool evening air hit my damp skin. I hadn't realized it had gotten so late.

My hands twisted around my hair to drain out any excess liquid from my black locks. My ears twitched at feeling a water drop trail along their edge. I trudged my feet through the water towards the dry land where my clothes were laid out and hopefully dry. I shook off as much water as possible from my body and allowed the gentle breeze to dry off the rest. Goosebumps broke out along my body as I slipped my clothes back on before heading back to the shed.

I slipped inside my safe haven and grabbed out my water from the fridge quickly downing it. I released a satisfied sigh once I had gulped down every last drop. Being constantly on the run could make a girl thirsty. Tossing the now empty bottle into my makeshift trash can, I fell back onto the old sofa that had been left behind. I stretched out my limbs until I heard the glorious sound of my back popping.

Curling myself into a ball, I fell into a deep sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Meanwhile in**

**the Hunt Family Estate…**

"Sebastian!" A high, female voice screeched for him. Sebastian released a long sigh. Dinner was never going to be on the table in time if she kept calling for him. He pulled out his pocket watch and glanced at the time. Well, he still had another forty-five minutes to put dinner on the table. He had succeeded at more impossible tasks.

He clicked his watch shut and met eyes with one of the other, more reliable servants, Alderin.

"Make sure the preparations for dinner keep on time with the schedule," he ordered the man. Alderin nodded his head and disappeared inside the kitchen.

Sebastian pivoted on his heel and shifted outside his mistress's bedroom door. He took a deep breath and let a fake smile spread easily across his face.

"Yes, milady?" he inquired upon stepping into the room. He wrapped his long, slender fingers around the expensive glass vase that was flying towards his head. He calmly set the antique down on the dressed beside him.

"Get her out of my sight! She is fired! Kill her if you must!" Coraline, his mistress, yelled pointing to a petite young woman, no more than sixteen or seventeen, cowering down beside him. Sebastian held back the sigh that he was about to release knowing the sound was displeasing to Coraline's ear unless it was from satisfaction.

"If I may, Mistress, this is the fourth one this week. Might I inquire as to what this one did to get fired?"

"I caught her trying to wear my clothes!" Coraline huffed plopping down onto her bed, arms folded. For being only twenty years old, the woman had a tendency to act 12.

"Th-that's not t-true, sir!" the girl quietly pleaded up at him.

"Are you calling me a liar?!" Coraline screeched, getting to her knees on the bed and wrapping her tiny hands around the base of the lamp on her nightstand. Sebastian quickly moved to his mistress's side and covered her hand with his.

"Please do not attempt to destroy another antique. This lamp cost over $500,000. It would be such a pity to see it go to waste," he quietly informed her. Coraline's big, sapphire blue eyes held his for a moment before a sickly sweet grin spread across the young woman's face. She set the lamp down.

"You're right, Sebastian. As always," she cooed stroking a tiny hand down his face. He contained his urge to shudder in disgust at her touch. Her touch would not bother him so if he merely acted as just her butler, but unfortunately that was not the case. Whenever she felt the need, Coraline would use Sebastian to satisfy all sorts of her desires. THAT was something he did not enjoy, but it was a part of their contract.

"Now get her out of my sight and replace her immediately!" Coraline growled digging her nails deep into Sebastian's flesh leaving bloody gouges in his cheek. Only a few drops of blood were spilt before the wound healed itself. The action vaguely reminded him of the cat from earlier. Or should he say neko?

Sebastian pressed a hand over his heart and bowed deeply.

"Yes, milady," he responded before making his way over to the young girl still cowering in the corner. He grabbed her hand to help her stand so that he could escort her out of the house.

"On second thought…" Coraline purred from behind him. Sebastian stopped in his tracks knowing exactly what her next words would be.

"Kill her instead," the young woman demanded gleefully.

"Yes, Mistress."

Without a second thought, Sebastian grabbed the young maid's head between his hands and silenced her pleading sobs with a simple flick of his wrist, cleanly snapping her neck. Her body crumpled to the ground at his feet; a look of horror was frozen on the girl's face as a single last tear trailed from her eye.

"How pathetic," he whispered to himself slinging the body over his shoulder.

"Indeed she was," Coraline smiled waving him away to dispose of the body.

In her eyes it probably had seemed like he'd been calling the maid pathetic for begging for her life, but that was not the case. Instead he had been calling his mistress pathetic. She thought that having a demon under her control she was able to kill whomever she pleased and that in return doing these things would gain her his favor. However, that only made her seem more pathetic in his eyes for feeling the need to kill off her servants just to please him. In fact, it only made his job more tiresome because he was the one who always had to go find the new hires.

He shook his head at the thought as he disposed of the body in the large furnace inside the basement. Although when the time came to devour her soul, it would have the loveliest taste.

Sebastian flipped open the cover on his pocket watch to check the time. He released a disappointed sigh.

"It appears that dinner will be late again. And I was trying so hard to put it out on time. Oh well. Time to get back to work."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I sprang up from the couch when I heard the soft knocking on the shed door. I unsheathed the twin daggers I kept hidden beneath my pillow and quietly rolled off the couch onto the floor. I kept myself hunched down as I sidestepped to the small window of the shed. I cautiously peered through the blinds only to see no one standing outside. Still refusing to lower my defense, I made my way to the door. I snatched up my baseball cap from the floor and fit it on my head. I pressed my back against the wall beside the door, daggers at the ready, and swung open the door.

I peeked my head out the door and checked the immediate area before leaving the shed to scout the perimeter around my home. Seeing nothing amiss, I tucked my daggers carefully inside my pants and headed back towards the comfort of my couch. As I approached the door, that's when I saw it. A creamy white envelope with dried red candle wax sealing the flap closed. A familiar crest was stamped into the wax.

"I didn't realize people of the 21st Century still did this crap," I sighed snatching it up. I went inside and slammed the door behind my ears as I laid the daggers on the couch beside me.

"Whoever left this disappeared from sight pretty damn fast," I mumbled flipping the envelope over. Scrawled across the center of the envelope was my name written in a beautiful script.

I took my dagger and slit the top of the envelope open to pull out the cream colored, tri-folded parchment paper. The letter read:

_**Dear Miss Kensington,**_

_**I am sure you have many questions as to how you were found. Do not fear, this letter is for the sole purpose of offering a job to you, not disclose the location of your whereabouts to the authorities. You will have the chance to bathe and change into the required clothes before meeting the Mistress so do not worry.**_

_**If you do choose to accept this job, you will be fed three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Much better than the way you are eating now I presume. Fresh, new clothes will also be provided to you along with the essential personal care to take your daily bath. Not only that, but you will be provided with a comfortably furnished room for yourself.**_

_**I have no doubt that you will not refuse my offer. Make sure you are punctual and arrive at twelve p.m. sharp. Tardiness is not tolerated at the Hunt Estate.**_

_**Sincerely,**_

_**S. Michaelis**_

_**Head Butler of Hunt Estate**_

I blinked down at the letter beginning to grow angry at this man's arrogance. 'I have no doubt that you will refuse my offer'? What in the hell was that supposed to mean? And how did he know my fucking name?

I folded the letter back and crammed it into my back pocket. If anything, the only reason I was going to the Hunt Estate was because I wanted some answers from this "Head Butler of Hunt Estate". As soon as I got my answers, I would take the letter out of my pocket, refuse his offer, and shred the letter to pieces in front of his face.

I searched through a large pile of junk until I found the old, dusty leather trench coat I had stolen a few years ago. Even though fall had just begun, I slid the heavy coat over my arms and onto my shoulders. I snatched up my daggers from the couch and slipped them inside the inner coat pockets for easy access. I tugged the baseball cap over my ears and left my safe haven.

I had no idea what time it was, but as far as I was concerned he could take his tardiness rule and shove it up his tightly clenched asshole.

I stared up the length of the tall wrought iron gate that had been built to keep out trespassers. I smirked and wrapped my fingers around the iron bars to make sure it wasn't being protected by electricity. When nothing happened, I crouched down into a pouncing position. I pushed my feet hard off the ground and grabbed onto the top of the gate careful not to penetrate my hand on one of the sharp spikes jutting out from the top. I swung my legs up and over the top to land hard on my feet. I smiled to myself. Having cat-like abilities had its occasional perks.

I waited for a moment just to be sure no rabid dogs were going to be released to attack me for trespassing onto private property. Seeing, nor hearing, any sign of a rabid animal, I stood up from my crouched position and made my way up the long gravel driveway to the concrete steps that led to the front doors. I sneered at the lion's head door knocker. Why did rich people always feel the need to buy the gaudiest things on Earth just to show off how ridiculously rich they were? I mean seriously it made no sense.

I pulled at the large handle in the lion's mouth and dropped it. A loud, thunderous boom echoed throughout the interior of the house. Although my ears were flattened against my head because of my baseball cap, I could still pick up on the faint sound of footsteps approaching the door.

My right hand slipped inside my coat to wrap around the hilt of the dagger. As soon as the door swung open, I pulled out my weapon and pressed the tip to the man's broad chest. He had straight, shoulder length deep brown hair that was parted down the center with deep violet eyes. Another supernatural being?

The man blinked down at me completely unphased by the dagger currently aimed at his heart. He was brave. I gave him that. I dug the sharp, curved tip of the blade deeper into the thin cloth of his uniform so that it was drawing closer to his flesh.

"Are you the head butler, S. Michaelis?" I growled uncaring if I pronounced the last name right or not. The man merely turned to the side, swinging out his arm to motion me inside.

My gaze never leaving his face, I took a few cautious steps inside. I glanced away from him for a minute to quickly scan the interior. Had I not been so completely set on finding the head butler, I might have oh-ed and awed over the foyer of the house. Or just the house in general.

The man swung the door closed making me whip around to face him. He smiled and disappeared inside a room off to the right beside the wraparound staircase. With him gone, I lowered my guard just a bit, but still kept the back of the blade pressed to the underside of my arm. My eyes took in the sight of the room.

On either side of me was a staircase that led up and around to meet in the center above me. There was a hallway that branched off from the top of each stairway. Where the arms of the staircase met in the center was a pair of large, white doors. Below were two thick Roman columns that supported the staircase landing; between the two columns straight ahead of me was a large arch entryway leading into a different room. It was most likely the dining room or living room. On either side of me beneath each arm of the staircase was a door; the one on my right being the one that the man had disappeared through. High above my head, a large, diamond chandelier hung from the pristine white ceiling.

My mouth dropped open at the beautiful sight of the chandelier. I had never seen something sparkle so magnificently with the light.

At that moment, my heightened hearing picked up on the sound of approaching me from behind. I swung around tossing my blade at the person's head while unsheathing the second dagger from my left pocket. I thrust the curved blade forward aiming for the heart. The idiot who snuck up on me should have been dead from the first dagger penetrating deep into the skull between the eyes.

Instead, my eyes widened when I saw a familiar figure grasping the hilt of my first dagger in his palm with the tip of the blade inches away from his face. His other hand snapped out and caught my wrist before the dagger could harm his perfectly tailored suit.

The bangs that had been carefully groomed across his face fell just a little into his blood red eye. I wasn't sure what I was more shocked at seeing: him completely hinder my nearly flawless attack or just at seeing him in general standing before me.

"You're late," Sebastian snapped.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sebastian yanked the dagger from my hand and held both of my weapons high above his head as I jumped trying to reach them. It didn't help that he kept moving and pushing me away at arm's length.

"Alderin!" Sebastian called still deflecting my advances. Alderin, the man from before, appeared from behind one of the columns to stand before Sebastian.

"Take these away," Sebastian ordered handing the tall man my daggers. It was then that I noticed Alderin was just a couple inches taller than Sebastian which shocked me a bit.

Alderin took the weapons and disappeared through the large entryway in front of us. I started to follow after him only to be yanked back by the collar of my trench coat.

"Excuse you!" I snapped rounding on him. Sebastian merely glared down his nose at me.

"I specifically recall mentioning in my letter that tardiness will not be tolerated," he reminded me in his overly pompous British accent.

"Oh yeah? Well you can take your tardiness rule and this letter—" I plucked the now crumpled letter from my back pocket and waved it in his face—"and shove it up your tightly closed ass!" I growled shredding the letter to pieces in front of him. The pieces floated high up into the air before slowly drifting down to the floor.

Sebastian brushed off a piece that had caught on his coat. His calm demeanor pissed me off even more.

"Who are you? How did you find me? How do you know who I am?" I spat through clenched teeth.

A mischievous smile spread across the butler's handsome face.

"I am simply one _hell_ of a butler."

Sebastian took great pleasure in seeing the anger flare to life inside her pale yellow-green eyes. It hadn't been that hard to find her honestly. Especially considering the sources and skills he had at his disposal. Sebastian could find anyone or anything.

"It doesn't even matter. I'm here to decline your offer, Mr. _Michaelis_," she sneered with a satisfied smirk.

"Follow me and I shall show you to your room," Sebastian ordered as he headed for the door under the left arm of the staircase.

"Are you deaf or just plain stupid?" the petite neko woman snarled at him, chasing after him when he refused to slow his steps.

He swung open the door to reveal a set of stairs that led down into the darkness.

"I said I'm not doing it," she repeated still continuing to follow him down the stairs. He flipped the switch on the side of the wall to light up the stairwell.

When he reached the bottom of the staircase, there were three hallways that branched off from the last step. The hallway to his left held the four showers for the maids to bathe themselves. The hallway to his right held the four half-sized bathrooms and then the hallway straight ahead held the eight single bedrooms; four doors lining each side.

"Well, at least the walls are painted a pretty shade of red," Ember murmured under her breath to herself.

Sebastian smiled and led her to the first door on the left. He swung open the black door to reveal her new home. He didn't expect to hear any more complaints after she saw the room. Ember glanced up at him warily as she brushed passed him to step inside the room.

The inside of the room was painted a soft, pale green almost matching the shade of her eyes. The twin-sized canopy bed rested against the far right wall of the room. The sheets were a deep forest green with a black comforter and metallic silver pillows. The mesh fabric of the canopy was colored a sheer black.

Off to the left was the large, wooden wardrobe where her uniforms hung. On the bottom of the wardrobe were a few drawers where some other personal clothing items were stored. Beside the wardrobe was a white vanity with a tri-fold mirror and a small, padded stool for her to sit on. Some cosmetics had already been provided for her. If there was anything else she wanted, it was her job to buy them on her one day off a week.

The basement flooring had been renovated, changing it from a cold concrete to smooth, wood paneling. In the middle of the floor was a large rectangle, black plush rug that stretched from the bed to almost touch the wardrobe. Then against the wall, a few feet away from the entrance door was her desk where she could study or whatnot.

His eyes glanced around the room before falling back to her to admire her. A small smile of amusement curled his lips when he saw her look of awe.

"Are you sure I'm here as a maid and not a guest, maybe?" she breathed brushing her finger tips along the smooth top of the wooden desk.

"Mistress Hunt likes to make sure her workers are comfortable and feel at home in her estate," Sebastian coolly lied. Ember slid him an incredulous look from the corner of her eye. He held back his smile loving how clever she was.

"Right and I'm the Queen of England," she scoffed.

"Please get changed, Miss Kensington. I shall be waiting for you in the foyer," Sebastian informed her before pivoting on his heel.

"Wait." Her soft, frightened voice stopped him in his tracks. He shifted his torso around just enough to gaze back into her yellow-green eyes. Her tiny hands were playing with the rim of her baseball cap. He bit back his smile knowing she was probably concerned about her ears being exposed.

He rested a palm on the top of her head, startling her, and making her glance up.

"There is a headdress with the outfit if that puts you at ease," Sebastian told her.

Her eyes widened infinitesimally before she bobbed her head up and down. A relieved smile spread across her face.

Sebastian took a step towards Ember making her body grow stiff. He leaned in close to her, his breath washing over her cheek.

"Always be sure to wear the headdress when around Mistress Hunt. She does not take kindly to strays living in her home." He was amused to see her cheeks flush red from carefully controlled anger.

Sebastian left the room closing the door behind him with a small smile. Having her here would be quite an adventure.

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I watched in barely suppressed rage as Sebastian left. How dare he call me a stray when he was the one who practically forced this job on me in the first place! I ripped off my baseball cap and flung it on the floor. I didn't even want to be here, but it had been obvious as Sebastian continued on his merry way down the stairs to show me my room that he would not accept no as an answer. And if this "Mistress Hunt" was so against strays then why hire ME in the first place?

I kicked the bed frame in anger before falling face first onto the impossibly soft mattress. The anger instantly melted out of my body as I found myself rolling around on the bed purring. I'd had a sense from the very beginning that he knew what I was, but had only just now been able to confirm those suspicions.

I sat up on the bed with a sigh. I should probably change into this uniform of mine before he yelled at me. I padded over to the wardrobe and threw open the doors to see a row of the same fashion of maid uniforms. Only each uniform was a different color in order to coordinate with each day of the week.

My right eye (along with my ear) twitched when I pulled out the color for Tuesday. It had large white puffy sleeves with a deep sapphire blue gown. The lace edging of the outfit plus the apron was colored bright neon pink. The outfit was obviously meant to send anyone who saw it into a seizure. I measured the length of the frilly skirt by eye and deduced the fact that it ended just short of mid-thigh with thigh high sapphire blue stockings. At the top of the stockings was a bright pink bow. Once more my eye twitched. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the shoes that went with each of the outfits were only flats. The headdress was, thankfully, a plain white.

I slipped the outfit off the hanger, grabbed the flats from the bottom of the wardrobe, and snatched the headdress off the shelf. I slammed the doors closed wondering why I had followed Sebastian down the stairs instead of walking right out the door.

Maybe it was the mysterious air that he surrounded himself with when he was around others. Or maybe it was because I was still curious to find out what he was exactly. It could EVEN be because of the fact that he was right and this way of living would be better than going back to how I was surviving. I was ninety-five percent sure though that the main reason for me staying here was because of the fact that I knew if I had left…well…he probably wouldn't have allowed me to walk down the front steps let alone out the front door. Of course I would never admit to him that I was staying for the fact that he was right.

Ever.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Sebastian tapped the toe of his impeccably polished Italian dress shoes against the marble tiling of the foyer. What was taking her so long? Was this payback for calling her a stray earlier? He took the pocket watch out of his jacket pocket and once more checked the time. Twenty minutes had passed since he'd left her to change. He still needed to show her around the house, explain to her what her duties were, and introduce her to Mistress Hunt. Not precisely in that order.

"I hate you," a low growl sounded from behind him full of venom.

Sebastian bit back the smile that threatened to spread wide across his face when he turned around to face the petite neko. Any small traces of a smile that might have been seen on his face instantly died upon seeing Ember.

Although the small woman was glaring daggers at him, he was completely stunned by how well the outfit suited her. The small headdress carefully hid her ears beneath its thick fabric. The outfit itself clung to her torso fitting nicely around her curves and accentuating her hourglass figure. The puffy white sleeves exposed the tops of her sun-kissed tan shoulders where they refused to stay up in place. The bottom hem of the maid uniform flowed out like a tutu from her small waist barely ending just shy of mid-thigh. The deep blue of the stockings complimented her tan athletic legs making them appear longer.

She stomped her tiny, sapphire blue flat clad feet over to him only making it harder for him to not resist the urge to pull her into a hug and coo over how adorable she looked. Maybe it was the fact that she was part cat that made him feel so much affection for her. Although he did vaguely wonder how she was able to hide her tail so well…

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt a hard poke in the center of his chest. Sebastian's eyes fell to gaze into a beautiful, large pair of bright green orbs. Even though the green had darkened slightly with her anger, he still found her eyes incredibly mesmerizing.

"What the fuck kind of sick joke is this?" she hissed. "Women don't have their maids dress this way. MEN do."

"Mistress Hunt likes to keep with the trend," Sebastian coolly answered.

"Please don't insult my intelligence. There is no way a woman is going to dress her staff in sexy outfits like this without fear of having one of them show her up in beauty. She's a perverted sadomasochist isn't she?"

"I only do as Mistress Hunt demands," Sebastian responded completely ignoring her question. He pivoted quickly around on his heel to face away from her as he got the most insane urge to laugh. "Come. Mistress Hunt wishes to meet the newest member of her staff."

"She could give two shits less about who I am as long as her outfits are washed and dry cleaned correctly, huh?" Ember questioned with a sigh.

Ignoring her question once more, Sebastian led her up the left arm of the staircase. He continued down the hallway that branched off to the left at the top of the staircase. Ember ran straight into his back discovering it was surprisingly taut with lean muscle. She took a couple steps back watching him warily as he turned to face her. They had stopped in front of a set of double wide wooden doors with polished gold handles.

"There is one thing you must know upon meeting Mistress Hunt," Sebastian quietly began.

Ember quirked a dark brow and patiently waited for him to tell her what it was.

"Do not sigh. It is displeasing to milady's ears."

With that he swung open the doors and motioned me inside the room.

****************************************************************************************

I watched as he swung open the doors before motioning for me to step inside. Even though I could still very clearly see the image of platinum blonde hair and a petite body in my mind, I was still apprehensive about meeting her. I knew how people like her were. They were completely and utterly spoiled always getting their way. She didn't care about the rest of the world. She was only concerned with the world she thought revolved around her.

I cautiously stepped inside self-consciously checking to make sure my ears were tucked away beneath the headdress. I smoothed down the front of my uniform as I came to stand silently beside Sebastian. I clasped my hands together in front of me and lowered my gaze to the floor. I may not have grown up around rich snobs or the like, but I knew how to act when it came to dealing with one such as her. They found anybody and everybody below them thus they expected you to behave like a servant.

"Who is this?" a cold, female voice snapped from across the room.

"This is Miss Ember Lux, milady," Sebastian answered with a dip of his head. I found it strange how he left off my last name. I snuck a curious glance at him from the corner of my eye. _How strange_…

"Is she the new maid?" the woman sniffed. I had to bite down hard on my tongue in order to keep myself from responding with a sarcastic reply. Why did she think I was wearing this ridiculous uniform? For shits and giggles?

"She is, milady."

"You. New maid. Amber," the woman demanded my attention. I took a deep calming breath before crossing my ankles and doing a short curtsy.

"Yes, milady?" I quietly spoke resisting the urge to gag. I wasn't even going to bother about trying to correct her on my name. She'd forget it as soon as I left the room anyways.

"Come," she commanded with a snap of her fingers. I glanced up at Sebastian only to be mildly annoyed when I found he was busy focusing on his mistress.

Keeping my head down, gaze on my toes, I scampered over to the petite woman's bedside. As I stood silently beside her bed, she sat up on her knees so that she could be eye level with me. Her hands were ice cold as they grasped my face. I suppressed my flinch at the sudden chilly touch as she tilted my head back.

My cat green eyes clashed full force with a pair of stunning sapphire blue irises. Of course it would figure she'd be blonde and blue eyed. Her soft, petite hands fell from my face as her eyes bore into mine challenging me to a game. My eyes narrowed infinitesimally wondering what game she could possibly want to play. Slowly she lifted her right hand and caught a strand of my raven black hair between her fingers. The dark color of my hair contrasted greatly against the ivory skin. She wrapped the silky black strand around her index finger while her left hand trailed along my exposed collarbone.

Her hand dipped lower to brush her finger tips along the swells of my breasts. She brushed her hand down my uniform making a trail that led down to the center of my abdomen. My hair uncurled from around her finger as her right hand dropped down to my waist so that she could grasp my waist tightly in her small hands.

Her ever roaming fingers made me cringe inside at the intimate touches, but I made sure to not show any dissatisfaction. I knew what she was doing now. I knew what game she was playing. She was testing my resolve. She wanted to know just how far I'd let her go before breaking. Little did she know I had no intentions of losing to her in this twisted, sadistic little game of hers.

A mischievous grin curled her glossed lips as a wicked gleam sparkled in her deep blue eyes. The woman's hands fell from my hips only to be placed on my thighs right below the hem of the uniform. Her touch was soft as it traced feather light zigzag patterns up my leg. The higher her hands went the further my dress was pushed up to expose the lace panties I was wearing that I had found in the drawers of the wardrobe.

I wanted so desperately to glance over at Sebastian since I knew he was watching. I needed to see the look on his face to know what he thought about his mistress doing this, but I knew that if I broke eye contact it was game over. The girl, who appeared barely older than me, let out a girlish giggle as she leaned in close to my face. Her hot breath washed over my face as a wave of mint overwhelmed my nostrils. Her hands returned to clasp the sides of my neck as she lightly touched her lips to mine.

"Close your eyes," she softly demanded. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut. Those lips, oily with gloss, pressed hard against mine, but I refused to kiss back. I knew if I gave in too easily, in her mind, I would be seen as weak. I would be seen as someone she could walk all over. Yet if I held out just long enough, maybe-just maybe- she would respect me a little more than her other servants that bowed to her every whim.

Not liking the fact that my lips refused to move in sync with hers, the woman growled and dug her nails deep into my flesh as she dragged them down my neck to my collarbone. Overwhelmed by the sudden wave of pain, my mouth opened wide in a gasp. Seizing the opportunity, she shoved her tongue into my mouth giving me no other choice but to battle for domination. She smiled in satisfaction as her teeth bit down hard onto my bottom lip drawing blood. She pulled away from the kiss stretching my bottom lip out and away from my mouth before releasing it. I swiped my tongue along my bottom lip tasting the familiar tang of iron on my taste buds.

Her eyes never leaving mine, she opened her mouth to speak. When she did so, I was pleased to see I had drawn blood on her bottom lip as well.

"She will do," she informed Sebastian. "Now leave me be."

Sebastian glided over and gently grasped my elbow leading me out of the room. The doors clicked shut behind us as we walked back down the hallway.

"You will fit in nicely, Miss Ember," Sebastian praised.

"Call me Lux," I said to him. He frowned in disapproval at me. I swiped a thumb along my lip and gazed down in amused fascination at the bright red streak that stretched across my thumb's pad.

"I think she likes me."

Sebastian chuckled. "Indeed. So it would seem…for now."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

**::One Month Later::**

It had been one month since I was adopted into this "family" that kept the Hunt Estate up and running. I had yet to learn what exactly Sebastian was (he didn't really give me much to work with on guessing), but as time wore on that grew less and less important to me. He had never fully explained to me how he'd known where I was. Anytime I questioned him about it, he would get this little smirk, and tell me, "I am simply one hell of a butler."

After the first few days of being here I came to realize the three other maids here were completely avoiding me. They refused to make eye contact with me and would scurry out of the room as soon as I entered. It was because of this fact that I grew close to the tall, quiet butler, Alderin. Although he remained silent throughout most of the day, doing everything he was ordered, I discovered he was actually an outgoing, comical guy who was a huge bookworm in his spare time.

We bonded quickly after learning we had much in common. One main thing we always agreed on was his twin brother, Axel. Axel was the younger of the two men and the complete opposite of his brother. Where Alderin was quiet and obliged to every command, Axel wouldn't shut up at all. Plus, he never got his work done around the estate and it shocked me that Coraline had yet to fire him. Not only was he a complete jackass, but he flirted with all the maids as well. Including me. Actually, he probably flirted with me the most which made the other women jealous, but they never dared to say anything about it to my face. They would just glare daggers at me from the corner of their eyes when they thought I wasn't looking. Of course Axel was too ignorant to understand he had the moves of a dyslexic second grader. Plus he just couldn't get it through his egotistical brain that I was NOT interested in him.

I had my eye on someone else entirely. Unfortunately for me, after my first day here, he had been nothing but harsh and impatient with me.

"Miss Ember!" My eye twitched at the familiar snap of a particular British butler that I would have liked nothing more than to strangle. Ever since I first came here, he had only called me by my last name once which I still found extremely odd. Especially considering the fact he called all the other maids by their last names. And trust me the maids took note of that. Now he had resorted to calling me 'Ember' when I kept telling him to call me Lux. Obviously, he had listened so well.

I stood up from my kneeling position on the floor where I had been scrubbing the marble tiles like some twisted, less romantic version of Cinderella. I brushed off the front of my outfit and knees before checking to make sure my headdress was still covering my ears. Since today was Friday, the outfit was colored a deep blood red with silver lacing. One of my less hated outfits I had to wear. I turned around to face the 6'1" head butler and Coraline's fuck buddy. Yeah. That one hadn't taken me too long to figure out. Plus Alderin and Axel had clued me in about it along with me being able to eavesdrop on some of the maid's conversations in the showers at night. Having cat ears could be a plus sometimes. The only thing was Sebastian was unaware of the fact that I knew.

"Yes, sir?" I ground out between clenched teeth. Every time I was trying to finish out my chores, he always interrupted me just to inform me of the rest of my chores I still had left to finish by dinner. Or to tell me what a horrible job I did on something.

"Mistress Hunt has requested that you come with me while I go out and run her errands," Sebastian answered in a cool demeanor. Before, there might have been a ghost of a smile playing at his full lips, but not anymore. Why had he changed so suddenly?

I quirked a brow in curiosity, but did not dare question something Coraline ordered. Not when I had been put on her list of favorites. It was a short list that only consisted of me and Sebastian at the moment. I nodded my head in understanding and bent down to grab the handle of my cleaning bucket.

"Leave it. I'll have Alderin order one of the other maids to finish your chores while you are out," Sebastian ordered.

"How long do her errands typically last?"

"Typically, for me alone, less than a day, but since she has INSISTED you come along," he sighed irritably. "It may take, at the very least, five days."

My eyes widened in disbelief. I opened my mouth to say something about how ridiculous that was when Sebastian lifted a white gloved hand to silence me.

"Pack for at most of seven days. I will meet you in the foyer."

With that he pivoted on his heel and disappeared around the corner. I had the strong urge to grab out the scrub brush in the bucket and throw it at the back of his ridiculously, well combed head.

"Don't sound so enthusiastic about the trip. You might get my hopes up," I grumbled under my breath. I set the cleaning bucket back on the ground knowing this would only cause the maids to hate me further. Not because they had to finish my chores along with theirs, but because all three of them had an unhealthy obsession over the British man.

At that moment Alderin entered the room, but stopped upon seeing me standing in the center of the room with a look of bewilderment and anger on my face.

"What's wrong?" Alderin worried coming to stand before me.

"I have to go on a five day trip with Sebastian. Maybe seven," I quietly uttered. Alderin's violet eyes widened.

"That's not good," he breathed.

"Tell me about it," I grumbled scratching at my ears through the fabric of my headdress.

"So what are you going to do?" he asked readjusting my headdress after I had officially pushed it sideways to better scratch at my ear. Only him, Axel, and Sebastian knew about the fact that I was a neko. I had told Alderin of my own accord after he had confessed that he and his brother were shifters. Axel, unfortunately, had been listening in on the conversation at the time when I had told Alderin. I still didn't trust Axel to keep the secret, but I had no choice. Thankfully he had yet to use that against me in any sort of way so I was able to relax after a while.

"I don't know. Go, I guess. Coraline ordered it."

Alderin's eyes snapped down to look at mine.

"Coraline ordered it?" he repeated in shock.

"Yeah. Remember? I'm kind of on her list of favorites," I reminded him.

"I know, I know," he sighed twirling a strand of my black hair around his finger. "It's just odd I suppose. I figured that since Sebastian would be going out to run her errands, she would get you to fill his place."

My eyes widened; my lips curling into a disgusted sneer. "There is no way I am tending to that woman's sick, demented needs."

Alderin laughed, his hand dropping back to his side. "I didn't mean you'd be filling THAT place. Typically, if it gets TOO bad to the point where she can't wait for Sebastian, she grabs me or Axel since we're the only other guys here. I don't think she's ever used a maid. Then again even if she has, it's not like the maids would confess to it," he admitted.

"Have you….?" I prodded curiously. Alderin shook his head. The tight feeling in my chest loosened a little. It wasn't because I liked Alderin and would be jealous; I just hated the thought of her using a sweet man like him for her sadistic games.

"No, but she has used my brother once before. He didn't come out of his room for the rest of the week. I never have gotten the full story about what happened that night," he quietly said glancing around to make sure his brother wouldn't just pop up out of nowhere.

"I wonder why Sebastian is able to handle it so well…" I mused.

Alderin shrugged. "You should probably go pack though before Sebastian comes back here to yell at you for not being ready in time," he smiled exposing a row of beautiful, white teeth. His incisors were just a tad longer than the rest of his teeth due to the fact that he was a canine shifter.

I nodded, wrapping my slender arms around him in a quick hug before jogging off to pack some clothing for the trip. I threw in a few of my maid outfits just in case we still had to look the part as servants even outside the house, but the rest of my suitcase was filled with my comfy, personal outfits. I was excited at the same time I was dreading it.

I was excited because it would give me the chance to be outside the house and not feel obligated to have to wear these god awful outfits. Not only that, but it gave me the chance to maybe learn more about the mysterious butler that was Sebastian.

On the other hand, I dreaded it because I knew Sebastian would give me nothing but the cold shoulder all week probably blaming me for the fact that the errands would take longer than usual.

I sighed grabbing up my suitcase with both hands. It dropped to the floor with a thud. With a grunt I hoisted it off the floor and began my ascent up the stairs making sure to lock my bedroom door before leaving. God only knew what those maids would do to my stuff if I left it unlocked. Upon reaching the top step and swinging open the door I saw Sebastian standing with his back to me in the middle of the foyer. At the sound of the door being opened, he half turned to gaze over at me through his ruby red eyes. He closed his pocket watch and slid it back into the hidden pocket of his jacket.

"Are you finally prepared, Miss Ember?" he asked blandly.

"Yes, Mister Michaelis," I sneered. If he was going to act snooty and formal, then so would I.

He arched a trimmed, black brow in amusement before turning on his heel to head out the doors.

Oh yeah. This trip was going to be just freaking dandy.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The silence inside the car was tangible enough that you could slice a knife through it like butter. My hands rested in my lap; thumbs twiddling over the other. I was staring absently out the windows watching the green blurs of trees flash by the window as the limo drove down the long stretch of road. My gaze slid over to the opposite side of the limo's backseat.

Sebastian was relaxed against the seat with his back still perfectly straight. He had his pristine white gloved hands resting delicately in his lap as he sat there with his eyes closed. I took in the sleek black hair that my hands itched to run their fingers through. I vaguely wondered if it was as soft to the touch as it looked. My eyes reveled in the beauty of the butler's high cheekbones and sharp, strong jawline that occasionally tensed when his teeth clenched together.

I imagined trailing the pads of my fingers down the smooth, straight bridge of his nose to gently trace along his plump bottom lip. In my mind, I could hear his breath grow ragged at my touch; his hot breath washing over my fingers. I could see his eyes snap open to reveal a pair of blood red irises that penetrated me with their gaze as he took my hand in his and slowly pulled my index finger into the moist cave of his mouth. He would lightly suck on the tip as his tongue teasingly licked at the skin leaving a searing hot trail from its touch.

"What are you doing?" a deep, British voice questioned irritably successfully yanking me out of my daydream.

My eyes snapped open to stare directly into a pair of ruby red orbs that gazed at me with displeasure. A finely trimmed, dark eyebrow was arched high over his left eye in curiosity while the edges of his lips were turned down in a disapproving grimace. Somewhere, during my fantasy, I had crawled onto the seat opposite mine where he sat and had inched closer to the warmth of his body with my eyes closed lost in my imagination. Now, here I was, my face inches from his with my hands and knees pressing into the cushion of the leather seat.

I could feel all the blood in my body pool inside my cheeks making them grow hot to the touch. I stuttered my apologies as I tried to quickly move back to my seat in the far opposite corner of the limo. Before I had the chance to move away, Sebastian captured my chin between his gloved fingers. My green eyes widened in shock as he gently tugged my face back towards his.

"S-sebastian?" I squeaked nervously. I wondered if maybe I wasn't still caught up in my fantasy.

"Ssshh," he hushed pressing a finger against my lips.

What was he doing? For a month he had been nothin but cruel to me, constantly nagging about the way I did my chores. Now he was being seductive and pulling my lips nearer to his? I had to still be dreaming. Surely this wasn't really happening? My mind was racing with so many conflicting thoughts and feeling his hot breath wash over my face did nothing to help me clear my mind. I could smell the subtle hint of mint on his breath. I could feel myself growing dizzy from the intoxicating scent that clung to the fabric of his jacket.

His lips brushed a searing hot trail up my jawline where his teeth gently nipped at the bottom of my earlobe.

"I finally have you to myself," he whispered. The deep timbre of his voice sent chills of pleasure to ripple throughout my body. What did he mean by that? Had he only been pretending to be cruel to me over this past month so that no one knew he actually might hold feelings for me? What did he MEAN? I opened my mouth to ask him when I was abruptly cut off.

"We have arrived," a gruff voice spoke over the intercom inside the limo. Without breaking eye contact, Sebastian reached over to press the round, black button.

"Thank you, Jack," he answered before letting his hand slip away from the switch.

I pulled myself away from his mesmerizing stare and cleared my throat. My mind was still racing with all the thoughts of what his words could possibly mean. I fixed my black hair so it hid my blushing red cheeks and made sure my headdress hid my red tipped ears. Sebastian swung open the car door and slid out to stretch to his full height. He brushed the nonexistent lint off his tailcoat before reaching a gloved hand inside the limo to assist me. I slid my tiny hand into his loving the feel of those warm fingers embracing my hand.

I stepped out of the limo to stare wide-eyed up at the tall building before me.

"Where are we?" I breathed with amazement. The building seemed to stretch on until it touched the sky it was so tall. The doors were at least twice my height and edged with gold paneling. I watched in awe as the glass panes rotated around allowing multiple people to enter and exit at the same time. In large, white letters written in a fancy cursive above the doors were the words _Hotel Luna Silora._

"We're at a hotel," Sebastian answered retrieving our bags from the trunk of the car. I gaped at the expensive outfits that were worn by the patrons going in and out of the hotel. Seeing them wear such fancy clothing made me feel very self-conscious and aware of the short maid's outfit I was still currently wearing. It was obvious to passers-by that I was not born into this kind of lifestyle. And here I had thought the ESTATE was grand. This completely blows it out of the water.

"Come," Sebastian ordered brushing coldly passed me as he easily balanced all four bags on his arms. I rushed up beside him eager to help by carrying my own luggage.

"Here let me—" I started to say as my fingers closed around the handle of one of my bags. He snatched the bag out of my fingers and shot me a stern glare from the corner of his eye.

Confused, hurt, and slightly angered by his harsh gesture, I fell back to follow along behind him up to the front desk. The woman standing behind the counter glanced up to peer at Sebastian through a pair of silver, thinly rimmed glasses. Her honey brown hair was combed back into a tightly wound bun that sat at the nape of her neck. Her facial features were sharp and pointed reminding me slightly of a rodent. Not only did I dislike her mousy appearance (and it wasn't because I was a neko), but I most certainly did not like the heated once over stare she was giving Sebastian.

She pushed her glasses back up on the bridge of her nose before flashing Sebastian a coy smile. I scoffed and rolled my eyes at her attempt to be flirty and cute.

"May I help you, sir?" she inquired batting her eyelashes over her large sky blue eyes. The possessive nature of the predator within me clawed at my insides demanding to be released so it could choke the life out of this woman. Again, it wasn't because I was a neko and she looked strikingly like a rodent. She was just threatening to take away something I had already laid claims on.

Sebastian set down the luggage on the floor at his feet while I stayed far back behind him watching the exchange through curious eyes.

"Yes. I do believe we have a reservation under the name of Hunt?" he informed her with a fake, pleasant smile. His British voice dripped with insincere affection.

Her thin brows rose high up onto her forehead when he mentioned the plural word 'we'.

"We, sir?" she prodded, her smile twitching with annoyance. Sebastian stepped to the side and motioned at me making my eyes go wide while the hostess narrowed her light blue eyes.

"Yes, my mistress and I," he coolly replied. My eyes flashed over to him, but he had already turned back to the rodent…erm…woman, I mean.

"Now, if you would be so kind as to give us our room key?" Key? Did he say KEY? Not plural as in key_s_? You mean we were SHARING a room?

The woman's sickly sweet smile stretched tight across her bony face as she typed in the name and grabbed out our room key from beneath the desk. She slid the small, rectangle envelope across the counter towards Sebastian.

"Here you are. Enjoy your stay at Hotel Luna Silora," she ground out through clenched teeth; that fake cheery smile still plastered on her face.

"Thank you," Sebastian nodded slipping the room key into the inner pocket of his jacket. He once more balanced the entire luggage in his arms and made his way back towards me. Once his back was turned, the hostess shot me a dirty look; the light from the ceiling casting a coincidental glare across her glasses. I bared my teeth in warning causing her gaze to widen before quickly darting back to the computer screen.

Before Sebastian could brush by me once more, my hand snapped out to grab a hold of his upper arm. The muscles in his bicep tensed underneath my touch, but he slowed his steps to a stop all the same. The luggage he was carrying on his shoulder, however, kept me from seeing his face.

"When we get to our room…you have a lot to explain," I quietly growled hesitantly releasing my hold on his arm. Without saying a word, Sebastian strode off towards the elevator leaving me behind.

The only thing I didn't quite seem to understand was…what had he meant when he had whispered those words _I finally have you to myself_?


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Our room was on the 23rd floor in room 2308. When Sebastian had unlocked the door and left to set our stuff in the bedroom, I took in the sight of where we'd be staying for the next week. Upon entering the room there was a rounded set of steps that lowered to the floor of the living room. In the living area sat a large L-shaped sofa with a round glass coffee table sitting a few feet from the couch. Mounted high on the wall was an LCD, flat screen television. My eye twitched. _Damn rich people_.

Moving passed the living room towards the far right of the room was a kitchen equipped with a double-wide fridge, a microwave, an electric stove, and center island. Over on the far left side of the room were two doors. The one on the right side of the wall led into the bedroom where Sebastian had disappeared to. I made my way over to the other door and opened it to find a bathroom.

Off to my immediate left was the toilet beside a wall that blocked it off from the large shower that sat on the other side of the divider. Across from them was a long, wall length vanity that had two separate sinks installed in the black marble countertop. Two round mirrors sat above each sink with a thin border of lights surrounding the reflective glass.

Straight across from the door I had entered through was another door that opened into the bedroom. _A double entrance? Awesome_, I thought sarcastically to myself. I walked through the bathroom to enter the bedroom. While Sebastian busied himself with hanging his suits up, I took a look around the room.

The room was large, yet seemed so…barren. There was a queen sized bed with sheets as white as Sebastian's glove that sat in the center of the wall to my left. Across the way was a large walk-in closet where Sebastian was currently putting things away. I took a few steps forward toward the wall in front of me, beyond the bed, that was made up completely of Plexiglas. Through the ceiling to floor length windows, you could see a nice layout of the city below. Even being on only the 23rd floor the view was still breathtaking. Especially for a neko like me who had been living on the street most of her life.

"I put all of your things on the left half of the closet. Any personal clothing items you brought I left in the suitcase," Sebastian notified me as he slid the closet door shut.

I turned form the window nodding my head in thanks. My eyes slid back to stare out the windows as I felt Sebastian approach me.

"You need to change if you are to look the part as my mistress," he reminded in a soft voice. I rounded on him in anger; hands falling to rest on my hips.

"Why do I have to play the part of Coraline?" I snapped. Sebastian didn't even so much as blink at my sudden flare of anger. Was this guy a robot or something?

"Mistress Hunt does not like going out if she does not have to since she has very sensitive skin and tends to burn easily. Therefore, if she does go out, she must always carry an umbrella to protect her skin."

"Great, I don't care. That still doesn't answer my question. Why am _I _here?" I emphasized so he would get to the point.

"You, of all the maids, are closest to the mistress's height and size. You are also one of her favored servants. So she requested you come with me to get her clothing properly fitted without her needing to do it herself," Sebastian finally clarified.

"And I have to actually play the part of Coraline _because_?"

"Otherwise we would have had to get separate bedrooms which would have cost more money and, therefore, would have been a greater burden on Mistress Hunt."

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion. "Does Coraline—" I refused to call her Mistress outside of the estate—"_know_ I am playing her? Or did you just decide this on your own on the car ride over here?"

"This was Mistress Hunt's idea, I assure you," he stressed bitterly.

"What are you? Bipolar?" I blurted out making me mentally facepalm myself.

"Excuse me?" he asked with a raised brow.

"In the limo you whispered that you finally have me to yourself and act all sexy. Now you act like it's a burden to have me here!"

For a long time Sebastian just stared down at me through those emotionless pair of ruby red eyes.

"Please change so we may start our errands as soon as possible. We have three fittings to accomplish for today," the British butler smoothly switched topics before striding out the bedroom door. It clicked softly shut behind him.

I pulled at the ends of my hair wishing I had the gull to actually rip it from my head. I snatched my headdress off my ears instead and threw it furiously at the door. Unfortunately, it only flew for a couple feet before crash landing to the ground. I ripped open the closet door and started searching through the various clothes I had brought wishing I had known about this plan before leaving. If I had known about this then I wouldn't have brought so many damn maid uniforms.

My eyes locked onto an outfit that I knew would drive him crazy. Whether he'd be crazy with need or anger, I didn't care. At least Sebastian would be showing his emotions for once.

**~Sebastian's P.O.V~**

I stood out in the living room waiting for Ember to change so that we could go pick up the dresses Coraline had ordered. A shadow of a smile made its way onto my face as I remembered how wide her yellow-green eyes had grown when I pulled her face back near mine. I could still feel her uneven breath wash over the side of my face when I had whispered those words in her ear. At first I had just merely been teasing her the way she had teased me by being so close with her warmth.

When I had felt her shift over onto the long seat I had been relaxing on, my eyes had snapped open to glance over at her only to see she had her eyes closed. Yet she slowly crawled her way over to me like a predator ready to pounce. It was unusual for ME to be the prey when typically I was the hunter. However I could not find the words to halt her advances as I had become mesmerized in the sway of her hips as she crept towards me; my eyes had become drawn to those blushing pink lips that parted just enough for me to hear the ragged breaths that left them.

I had been so curious to know what daydream it was she had been so wrapped up in that those words asking what she was doing had left my mouth before I knew what was happening. I immediately regretted those words when I saw her begin to pull away blubbering her apologies, but I hadn't wanted her to leave just yet. I liked having her near me. I loved seeing her reactions to the smallest things I did. I especially loved seeing the way she barely restrained herself from jumping over the check-in desk to murder the hostess who had been flirting with me.

I sighed and flipped open my pocket watch. Fifteen minutes had gone by. Why was it that it always took her so long to get ready? I shook my head never having fully understood how a woman's mind works. I slid the round watch back into the inside pocket of my tailcoat and tapped my foot against the white carpeting of the living room floor. My mind began to aimlessly wander back to old, long forgotten memories of my past. Coraline, out of all the humans I had served, was definitely the most sadistic. Or at least came very close to having the most demented mind. I couldn't wait until her dark, twisted soul rested deep inside my aching stomach.

"I'm ready when you are," Ember purred from behind me. I sighed in relief. Finally, she was—

My eyes widened just for a moment upon seeing her outfit before I forced the emotionless mask back onto my face. One I had quite perfected over the years.

Ember wore a form fitting gray pinstripe, steampunk vest that had just an inch of white lace edging cutting down the V of the top. She wore nothing beneath the vest which allowed my eyes to revel in the beautiful, sunkissed skin that was exposed by the top. She had left the last button of the vest unfastened to show off her diamond stud belly-button piercing. My fingers itched to remove my gloves and run my hands along the smooth expanse of her skin then tease that bellybutton with my tongue.

Two inches below her belly button were her black skinnies that sat low on her hips. Rips ran up and down the legs of her jeans making me wonder if she had bought them that way or if she had done them herself. I could see it going either way with her. The skinnies hugged every delicious curve of her body right down to her ankles where her feet were clad in a pair of black converse shoes.

She ran her hand through her long, flowing black hair that framed her delicate face with its waves. Her black ears that were tinged a deep red at the tips laid flat against her head as a sly smile formed on her face flashing me a pair of pearly white canines. I still wondered where she kept her tail hidden although I had come to the conclusion that she might not have one. In which case, it made me wonder as to why she had ears if she didn't own a tail. Was she not a true neko?

"Do I look the part of your mistress now?" she questioned smugly.

Making sure my face remained impassive, I answered her.

"It'll have to do, I suppose. Until we can find you more suitable outfits to wear," I sighed turning on my heel to head for the door. I bit back a smile when I saw her eyes flash with anger and annoyance at my answer. That had apparently not been the response she had been looking for. Which was good. That meant this game would continue. This little game she wanted to play that would test our strength and willpower.

And how I did love playing these kind of games.

* * *

**A/N: Hello, KrazeeBunny here! Thanks so much for ALL the wonderful comments I have been receiving ^_^ It makes me really happy!**

**Anyways, I am thinking about bringing in a guest character from Sebastian's past in the Black Butler show! I just don't know who to bring in. It can be Grell, Ciel, Claude, Undertaker... you know the gang ;) **

**So if there is any specific character from Black Butler you would like to see just let me know in your review ^_^ mmkay?**

**Thanks so much for taking the time to read my story (along with my little rants) ! Ciao!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

**~Back at the Hunt Estate~**

"Alderin!" Coraline yelled for the servant as she descended the steps.

Alderin exited the dining hall and promptly made his way to his mistress' side as he placed a hand over his heart and bowed deeply. She smiled loving how completely devoted to her he was. She pressed two fingers beneath his chin making him meet those violet eyes with hers.

"You're such a good dog," she smirked digging her nails into his jawline. Alderin flinched, not from the pain of her nails, but from her calling him a dog. He hated being called that especially by her.

"Now, go find that new servant girl…Emily or whatever her name is," Coraline huffed pushing his face away as she descended the rest of the way down the stairs.

Alderin watched her brush past him dumbfounded. Why was she asking for Ember when she had been the one to order her off with Sebastian? Regaining his composure, Alderin rushed passed Coraline and knelt down before her causing her to stop. She glared down at him through dark blue slits.

"Why aren't you doing as I ordered you? Go find the servant girl immediately!" she snapped down at his bowed head.

"Um, excuse me for speaking so boldly Mistress, but…didn't you order Sebastian to take her with him to help him run your errands?" the shifter quietly inquired, his gaze never leaving the immaculate floor.

It took a moment for his deep words to sink into her mind. She had never once heard him speak and it amazed her how sultry his voice naturally sounded whereas Axel's was almost more forced. Apparently she had been using the wrong brother. As if just now comprehending his words, Coraline felt something inside her brain snap. She was where? With _whom_?

"What did you just say?" Coraline hissed her fingers tangling in the shifter's thick head of hair and yanking his head back to make him look at her while he spoke.

Alderin gritted his teeth as she pulled at the sensitive follicles of his hair; a vein protruding from his neck as he did his best to speak through the pain.

"I apologize, Mistress. I just simply thought you would remember about the orders you gave to Sebastian regarding Miss—"

"I gave NO such orders to my slave!" she snapped interrupting his softly spoken words.

"Forgive me, Mistress. I must be mista—" She pulled further on his hair causing Alderin to whimper at the extended agony.

"Tell me the exact words that were spoken to you," the petite woman growled bringing around her other hand to tightly grasp his jawline in her tiny palm.

"I must have been mistaken, Mistress. I probably misheard the words being spoken. I'll go find Miss Em—"

Coraline slashed her nails across his cheek leaving behind three scratches across his cheekbone that was now beginning to swell and bleed.

"Do not lie to me, mutt!" she hissed. She saw from the corner of her eye two of the maids flee the area. _Yes, be afraid, and be glad you are not the cause of my anger,_ she thought to herself.

"Now tell me—" she jerked once more on the servant's hair causing him to lose his balance while kneeling and instead fall to both his knees. A position she much liked her men to be in whilst before her—"where is the servant girl?" she growled.

Alderin could feel tiny drops of blood ooze from the wounds on his cheek as they made a slow trail down his face. He had never meant to get anyone in trouble. Especially not Ember. Never her. He couldn't bear the thought of Coraline putting his sweet neko through her sadistic torture. Ember had been through enough with the experiments. So he would continue to lie to the sapphire eyed monster for as long as he could even if it meant putting his life at risk.

"I'm sure I just saw her go downstairs to grab some more cleaning supplies from the basement," Alderin answered keeping his words calm and confident as he focused on anything but the burning pain in his head.

Coraline released her death grip on his hair causing Alderin to sigh in relief as the pain immediately diminished. However, chills erupted down his spine as Coraline slid her cool hands onto his face. She tilted his head back forcing him to meet her dark, hungry blue gaze that was burning bright with madness.

"Why do you lie to me?" she cooed stroking a thumb across his bottom lip. Had he contained the courage to pull away from her grasp, he would have done just that. However, he did not have the courage, or carelessness, his brother seemed to possess when it came to dealing with their Mistress.

"Is it possible that you care for this servant girl? That you like her?" she inquired, her voice soft and full of faux sweetness. Hearing her speak like this made his need to take a shower grow even more than when she had been yelling at him.

"Mistress Hunt is the only woman I—"

As he was speaking, Coraline jammed her hand into his mouth and grasped his tongue between her fingers to wrench the muscle out of his mouth. Her nails dug into the soft, slick flesh making sure her grip wouldn't slip from all the saliva.

"Your voice may be one of truth, but your words tumble from this tongue as lies. Lie to me again and you will no longer have to worry about uttering another sound," she threatened with a low growl. Alderin winced as he felt her sharp, painted nails jab deeper into his tongue. He could taste the metallic tang of his own blood as it seeped into the back of his throat from the wounded muscle.

Coraline released his tongue unexpectedly watching as Alderin quickly regained his composure and curl his bleeding tongue back into his mouth.

"Tell me EXACTLY what she told you," the mistress calmly demanded pressing both hands to her shapely hips.

Alderin shuddered knowing that he would not be able to endure much more of this pain. It made his heart ache knowing he was probably about to lose Ember's trust, but he didn't know she had lied to him. By the way she had told him though, it seemed she hadn't known she had been lied to as well. This all came back on Sebastian. Why had he lied and said that those had been direct orders from Coraline when, in fact, the demon himself had created those orders? Alderin's eyes went wide. Did the demon butler…?

"Do not go silent on me now, mutt!" the petite woman shrieked raising a hand to slap him once more. Alderin flinched waiting for the blow across his cheek, but it never happened. His eyes flashed up when he heard an outraged shriek. Axel had Coraline's wrist grasped in the palm of his hand while he fought to seize her other hand that was trying desperately to claw at his face. Instead her fingers found solitude in raking down his exposed arms.

Alderin flinched in pain for his brother, but Axel didn't so much as grimace at the contact. What had she done to him that one night that caused him to become so emotionless toward pain? Axel finally seized her other hand and pinned both of her arms behind her back which caused her lithe body to press up against his. Something Alderin knew his younger twin brother probably did not enjoy doing, but knew it was necessary.

"How dare you touch me with such carelessness, mongrel?! You are a lowly servant meant to—"

Her words were cut off as Axel smashed his lips to hers; his eyes remaining wide open to stare into those furious blue eyes. He hated the mere thought of touching this demented woman, but he couldn't stand seeing his brother go through any more punishment because of his loyalty to Ember. Axel had only known of one way to get the blonde to shut up and that was by dealing back the pain. That's why he had her nearly bent over backwards as he bit at her bottom lip drawing blood.

He shoved his tongue into her mouth as she began to wriggle in his arms trying to break free. That invasion of her mouth caused her solid teeth to snap down hard onto his tongue. Even though she wanted to hear him cry out in pain, there was one sound that his sadistic mistress wanted to hear even more and that was the low moan that emitted from that back of the younger twin's throat.

He tore his mouth away from hers vaguely wondering if that was his blood or hers that stained his lips. A naughty, twisted smile curled the edges those bruised lips of hers.

"You have my attention, servant. Now let's see what else that tongue of yours can do and what other part of you I can make bleed," she breathed wrangling herself out of Axel's embrace and latching onto his hands.

Without so much as another glance at Alderin, Coraline ascended the stairs to head for her bedroom.

"Brother…" Alderin whispered causing matching violet eyes to lock with his own. He saw a muscle tic in the younger shifter's jaw before that violet gaze moved away.

_Just remember you owe me one_, Axel's voice sounded in his head.

Alderin stood up on shaky legs as he did his best to brush the dirt of his black tailored suit.

_Thank you_, he thought back to his brother knowing by the way his brother's shoulders tensed and relaxed that his words had been heard.

So if Coraline hadn't given Sebastian those orders then that meant Sebastian had been lying to Ember when he had told her. Why would the demon lie though and risk the neko's life? Alderin knew for a fact that Coraline wouldn't, nor couldn't, kill Sebastian. However she would cause him serious pain. Yet there was nothing that stopped Coraline from killing Ember the way she had disposed of all the other maids before her.

That still begged the question as to why Sebastian would blatantly lie and go against Coraline. Could it be that…the demon butler…had feelings for his Ember?


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"Ugh, finally! I can sit down and rest," I sighed in relief as we sat down at a table outside a small café. I inched my fingers beneath the fedora on my head and scratched at my ears. They had been itchy all day, but I hadn't had the time to actually take my time and scratch them afraid that someone might notice my ears. We had been walking nonstop from fitting to fitting so that I could be squeezed and sowed into various outfits. None of them really looked the type of style that Coraline would wear though. They looked more of my style of clothing, but—hey—who was I to judge?

"You realize that you don't have to wear a hat, correct?" Sebastian mentioned pulling out a chair beside me and gracefully relaxed himself down into the seat. He rested his hands on his lap; his back remaining perfectly straight against the back of the chair.

"What?!" I snapped catching the attention of a couple sitting nearby. It was then that I noticed one of them had fox ears blatantly exposed on the top of their head. Yet no one was yelling at them to cover up their monstrosity nor were they being thrown into the back of a police car.

My eyes met with Sebastian's. "But how? Where we live…looking like THAT…and showing any sort of our animal selves…it's completely forbidden. You'll get shot or worse, you'll become an experiment," I explained.

Sebastian nodded in agreement. "Yes, but where we reside, Miss Ember, is also a smaller town that is more set in their traditional ways. Humans are all they have ever known and seen since not many creatures like us tend to settle down in such a small area. So when they see something different, something they aren't willing to comprehend…they go on the defensive and attack.

"However, bigger cities such as this one tend to be more open-minded to the changes in society such as shifters. Bigger cities see it as a better opportunity to gain more profit from a larger variety of customers, therefore the company they work for succeeds and grows larger to spread worldwide. I'm sure eventually smaller towns will begin to adapt to the changes of the world, but for now it is just safer for everyone to remain hidden when in such rural areas," the head butler explained in a calm, thoughtful British tone.

I blinked a few times in utter amazement. Not because I didn't understand his long drawn out clarification, but mostly because that was the most I had ever heard him speak at one time.

"You could have told me that earlier before I suffered through fitting on all those outfits," I grumbled testily as I noticed our waitress approaching.

"Hello, sorry for your wait, my name is Lucy and I'll be your server for today. What can I get you folks to drink?" she routinely spouted off as she glanced back and forth between Sebastian and me with a warm, surprisingly real smile. Most waitresses wore a fake, tight smile on their face, but she looked genuinely happy to be here. That's when I noticed the way she was staring at Sebastian.

I rolled my eyes. Of course she would be happy to serve a man who looked like him. Who wouldn't be? I cleared my throat drawing her attention back to me.

"Yeah, can I get an iced coffee please? Make it French vanilla with just a shot of mocha. Thanks," I bit out making sure to hold her gaze. She scribbled down in her notepad before turning to Sebastian.

"Might I get a cup of your fine Earl Grey tea, please, Miss Lucy?" Sebastian inquired politely. The waitress's cheeks flushed pink before she shyly nodded. Lucy pivoted on her heel and quickly rushed inside the café to retrieve our drinks.

My eyes met Sebastian's as I suddenly realized something he had said during his little speech.

"Earlier when you were telling me why my ears are acceptable here, but not at home…you said 'creatures like us'. You obviously know I'm a neko, so what does that make you, Mister Michaelis?" I questioned propping my elbows up on the small round table and gazing over at him innocently.

"It is not proper etiquette to have your elbows resting on the table," Sebastian smoothly deflected my question. I wasn't going to back down so easily.

"Seriously, Sebastian, what are you? Why won't you just tell me?" I prodded refusing to remove my elbows off the table even though he kept glaring at them.

"I'll answer your question as soon as you start showing me that you have some sense of table manners," he answered irritably. I rolled my eyes and slid my arms off the table to fold them across my chest. I crossed my knee over the other and sent him a meaningful stare.

"If you must know, I am a demon," he answered rather quietly. Those ruby red orbs bore deep into my own pale green irises.

"Honestly…I can't say that surprises me," I sighed glancing away from those soul searching eyes. I think I would have been more shocked had he answered with something else. Everything he had said and done over the best month suddenly began making a hell of a lot of sense. It made me ashamed that I hadn't figured it out before now. I had to seriously refrain myself from slapping a palm against my forehead in frustrated stupidity.

"Here's your coffee," Lucy interrupted placing the tall glass of caffeine on the coaster in front of me before turning to Sebastian.

"And here is your Earl Grey," she blushed setting a steaming hot teapot down in the center of the table before placing a small, round cup on a saucer in front of him.

"Would you like any sugar or milk for your tea?" she asked, childish hope laced within her words.

"No, thank you," he rejected with a light smile.

"Well, can I get you two anything to eat perhaps?" she pushed, her voice turning into a slight whine.

"No," I snapped causing her to look at me in surprise. Even I was slightly shocked at the anger in my voice, but I kept with it. "That will be all, Lucy. Thank you." I bit out those last words with a meaning that said she either left now or things were about to get ugly.

Catching the finalization of my words, her eyes glazed over with sadness as she turned away to attend to some other customers.

My eyes flickered over to Sebastian when I heard him snort a quiet chuckle as he poured himself some tea. The steam rose from the small cup to dance in the wind before being carried away with the breeze.

"Is something funny?" I asked quirking a dark brow. I could feel my ears beginning to grow hot beneath the fedora, so I snatched it off my head and placed it on the table beside my iced coffee. The instant breeze across the tips of my ears caused a chill to sweep down my spine from pure bliss. Still slightly paranoid I might get thrown into the back of a van I lowered my ears to tuck them safely against my black hair.

"It appeared to me that you were jealous of the young girl," Sebastian carefully noted gently sipping the hot tea.

I rolled my eyes at his statement. Placing the tall glass to my lips, I swallowed a large swig before responding to his outlandish proclamation.

"I was NOT jealous," I huffed. "She was just lingering around not doing her job and tending to her other customers. I merely gave her the push she needed since it was clear we no longer required her presence."

A black, cleanly plucked eyebrow arched high over a ruby red eye.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Why in the hell would I be jealous in the first place?" I grumbled taking another long swig of my coffee. The ice clinked against the glass as I set the drink back down on the coaster.

"I believe that is a question I should be inquiring of you since the same sort of incident happened earlier with the hostess at the hotel," he pointed out finishing off his first cup of Earl Grey.

"I am not JEALOUS," I growled crossing my arms defiantly over my chest. The simple gesture caused the mounds of my breasts to be pushed together; some of the soft, rounded flesh becoming exposed from underneath the steampunk vest I was wearing.

It was because of that, which these two men who were walking by the café decided to holler and whistle. Mumbling expletives under my breath at their idiocy, I uncrossed my arms and went to take a drink of my coffee when I noticed that the chair beside me was empty.

"Sebastian?" I quietly called out glancing around the café. I nearly choked on my own oxygen when I saw he had those two men pinned against the side wall of the building next to the café in the alley. I quickly jumped out of my seat causing it to topple over as I ran to help the two men from being murdered at the hands of a demon butler.

"Miss, wait you need to—"

"Not now, Lucy!" I barked at her as I reached Sebastian. He held the large, muscled men against the brick wall in either hand; there was not a hint of strain on the butler's face. He may as well have had a balloon in each hand for as much lack of stress was on his face. I mean honestly. The two idiots clawed at Sebastian's hands hoping to wear the demon down. No such luck. He only lifted them higher off the ground.

"Sebastian, what are you doing?" I hissed at him ignoring the men's pleas for help.

"These gentleman need to apologize for their rude conduct in public towards a lady such as yourself," he simply stated slamming the men back against the wall causing their weak cries for help to cease.

I rolled my eyes. "I think you're overreacting, Sebastian. They're just being typical, horny guys that drool and grow excited over seeing a glimpse of boobs for the first time like some premature teenagers. Will you please put them down?" I huffed irritably resting my hands on the curve of my hips. The sunlight gleamed off my belly button ring causing Sebastian's eyes to momentarily focus away from the men and down to my exposed abdomen.

That ruby gaze slowly trailed up my stomach, over my breasts, and landed straight on my lips. My mouth grew dry when I saw those eyes darken with hunger. Not the hunger for souls, but a different kind of hunger. A deeper, passionate hunger of desire. His eyes followed the quick movement of my tongue as I licked my lips of their dryness. That was the gaze I had wanted to see when I first came out in this outfit back in the room.

"Apologize to Miss Ember," Sebastian ordered of the men. His gaze lifted to meet mine as he spoke the words.

"S-so-sorry, Miss Ember," they synchronized in fear. Sebastian wrenched his eyes away from mine as he released his iron grip on the men's throats. As soon as their legs touched ground, they scrambled out of the alleyway. I released a sigh of relief stepping in time with Sebastian as we made our way back to the table.

He straightened his tailcoat before relaxing back in his seat to pour another glass of tea. All I could do was smile like a loon as I took my seat beside him. He took one sip of his brewed drink before noticing my lopsided grin.

"What is that look for?" he asked, those eyes flicking over the features of my face.

"Looks like I'm not the only one jealous," I teased nudging his shoulder with my hand.

"Hardly," he scoffed taking another drink of tea. "I found it quite rude that they would behave like such children in front of a lady."

"Admit it. You were angry knowing that they were hitting on me like you wish you could."

"Bold choice of words, Miss Ember, to assume I would wish to 'hit on you' as you say," he smirked in amusement.

"It's only bold if I'm guessing, but I'm not. I KNOW it's true," I brashly declared with a cocky grin.

Sebastian calmly placed his cup back on the saucer before leaning into me. His white gloved hands cupped my chin and pulled me in close to his handsome face. His breath, smelling lightly of mint, heated my face as Sebastian brushed a fiery trail with his lips along my cheekbone. My body trembled beneath that simple gesture as he placed his mouth near my ear.

"There's one thing you don't seem to understand, Miss Kensington," he whispered once more calling me by my last name. It was rare for him to do so which only caused me to be even more intrigued.

"I do not need to flirt with you in order to gain your favor like those men because, you see, I have already made you mine."

He pulled away, smiling at my wide eyed gaze. He slipped a couple of bills from the inside pocket of his coat and tossed them on the table before standing.

"Come. It's getting late and we both need our rest for tomorrow," Sebastian ordered as he waited patiently for me to snap out of my daze and hurriedly stand. I snatched my fedora off the table and flipped it back onto my head to cover my ears.

"What's tomorrow? More fittings?" I sighed doing everything I could to drown out his words from moments ago. _I have already made you mine._

"All in due time, Miss Ember. All in due time."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

We were back in our room on the 23rd floor and currently I was pacing back and forth in the bedroom while Sebastian was in the kitchen cooking up some food. Even though I had argued that I wasn't hungry, Sebastian had ignored my protests and began setting out the ingredients. While he had been busy doing that, I decided to go into the bedroom and change into something a little more comfortable. So here I was…in a pair of black and white flannel pajama pants with little white paw prints trailing up and down the leg of the pants along with a white tank top with Garfield on the chest….pacing back and forth out of my mind.

I had thrown my black hair up into a loose bun, a few of the strands coming loose to fall around my face, but I didn't care. I was more worried about what he had meant when he said he had already made me his. I wasn't sure if he meant it in a flirtatious way or if he meant that since I was a maid, he had technically already made me his. Whichever one it was…it was driving me insane.

"Gah!" I screamed out in frustration as I pulled at the loose strands of hair.

"Is something wrong, Miss Ember?" an amused British voice inquired from the bedroom doorway. I stopped in my tracks slowly lowering my hands. I pivoted around on my heel to face the tall, impeccably dressed demon.

"Nothing at all," I lied. "Just wondering when the food will be ready so my stomach will stop growling."

"I thought you weren't hungry," he teased folding his arms across his chest.

My pale green eyes narrowed. "That was before I smelt salmon with…" I turned my nose up toward the ceiling and sniffed the air. My heightened sense of smell picked up on the delicate scent of lemon thyme and dill. "Is that a lemon compound butter I smell?"

"Indeed. That is quite a nose you have, Miss Ember. Would you care to actually _see _the food and perhaps eat it?"

I shrugged trying to act nonchalant. "I suppose," I answered brushing passed him. Sebastian's hand flashed out and gripped my arm gently in his palm.

I glanced up at him over my shoulder and felt myself become completely drawn into his deep, swirling red gaze. For the longest time we just sat there trapped…lost…inside the endless sea of one another's eyes. His eyes were a red pool of blood that I found myself drowning in, but never wanted to come back from. He tightened his fingers around my arm and tugged me backwards. I stumbled back a couple steps before my back bumped up against the doorframe.

Sebastian slammed his hands against the wall on either side of my head causing me to flinch at the sound. The demon butler leaned down close to me; his silken black hair shifting to fall further into his face. My breath hitched in my throat as I watched those soft, feathered strands of hair drift across his face as they constantly moved with each breath that was exhaled from his nose.

"Sebastian…" I began after having to take a deep breath in order to produce a coherent thought. "If you keep this up…the fish will get cold. I don't know about you, but I like my fish hot."

"Correct you are, Miss Ember," he quietly agreed. His eyes dropped to my mouth as I slid my tongue across the edge of the bottom lip. He observed the movement through calculating eyes that were now beginning to glow a faded purple.

"Which is why I only wanted to remind you to wash your hands before dinner," he replied, the glow of his eyes fading back into the deep red as he pushed himself away from the wall.

That had been the first time I had seen his eyes grow purple like that. I honestly wasn't sure whether to be flattered by that hungry gaze or…slightly frightened. On wobbly legs I stumbled away from the wall towards the bathroom door, my eyes staying locked with Sebastian's.

"Be sure to wash them quickly so the food doesn't grow cold. I don't want to have wasted my time for nothing," he called out as I slipped inside the bathroom.

I quickly soaped up my hands and rinsed the suds off with lukewarm water. Grabbing the hand towel between the sinks, I dried off my hands and took a deep breath before exiting the bathroom. Sebastian was standing behind the bar that sectioned off the kitchen from the living room area. He had his hands planted firmly on the bar counter; his head hanging down making his black hair hide the look on his face.

I quietly made my way over to one of the stools that bordered the bar and took a seat wondering when he would take notice. I desperately wanted to reach out and touch his hand. The action would be mostly to comfort him, but it was also because I wanted those eyes on me again. I wanted them to glow with hunger the way they had before. Feeling at a loss as to what to do, I rested my head on the counter waiting for my food. It was true I could have said something to him, but I figured he wouldn't look that way for no reason so I would wait patiently. Well, up until the moment my stomach decided to sound like a dying whale amongst the quiet room.

There was an amused chuckle before the clinking of a plate sounded near my head. I lifted my forehead off the counter and gazed down with longing at the salmon that sat before me. The luscious smell of lemon, dill, and the slightest hint of garlic wafted from the herb and lemon compound butter that was drizzled along the delicate crusted skin of the cooked fish.

"It smells wonderful," I sighed picking up the three-pronged fork that laid on the edge of the porcelain white plate. I cut the side of the fork into the fish watching in mouthwatering awe as the fork sliced through like butter.

"It tastes even more wondrous than it looks," he assured watching me as I placed the fork into my mouth. The instant the dainty piece of salmon hit my tongue, my taste buds exploded from all of the flavors that had been carried in that one bite of fish. I moaned my approval.

Suddenly, Sebastian was there by my side removing the fork from my fingers to lay it beside the plate. I whimpered at the loss before he touched two gloved fingers to my chin and turned my gaze towards him.

"Do you find great pleasure in my cooking?" he questioned gazing deep into my pale green eyes. I licked my lips and nodded looking away from those compelling red orbs. There were no words to be found that described the taste of his food. Any words of admiration would be a massive understatement and almost insulting towards the savory flavor of the salmon.

"I find great pleasure in watching you eat what I cook for you." His voice grew deeper than normal causing me to look at him. Once more I observed in awe as those ruby irises lightened into a deep fuchsia.

As if in a trance, my fingers gradually lifted from their resting position on the counter to brush along Sebastian's jawline. The pads of my fingers made a light trail towards the demon's lips before Sebastian captured my hand in his own. Those eyes never once left mine. He lowered my hand away from his face and laid it gently in my lap. My eyes widened infinitesimally in shock as I watched him remove the glove from his right hand exposing the pale slender fingers with nails painted black as night.

With slight hesitation, Sebastian lifted his pale, exposed hand and hovered his fingers just centimeters over the skin of my cheek. I could feel the tiny hairs on my face stand on end yearning for those cool, slim fingers to finally touch flesh against flesh. My breaths came out short and shallow as I felt my body growing hot at the very thought of those hands, ungloved, caressing my skin with a soft touch.

My eyelids fluttered closed as I felt the coolness of his fingers lightly touch my cheekbone and skim along the smooth expanse of skin. Right before those fingers could caress along my bottom lip, the hotel phone rang causing me to jump. The purple faded from Sebastian's eyes as his hand quickly dropped from my face and he replaced the glove over his fingers. I couldn't help but feel slightly saddened at that fact.

Straightening his tailcoat, Sebastian glided over to the telephone and snatched it from its cradle after the third ring.

"Miss Hunt's room," he answered into the phone. The corners of his lips dipped into a scowl. A look that was far more familiar to be seen on the handsome butler's face.

"Alderin, please calm down and repeat what you said using more intelligible words," Sebastian sighed pinching the bridge of his nose. After that, all he would answer with was "mhm" and "I see".

"That is none of your concern, Alderin. Please be sure to keep Mistress Hunt occupied for just a few more days. As long as you don't mention it to her again things will be fine," Sebastian finally spoke after a few minutes of silent nodding.

"Goodbye," he said as he gently set the phone back into its cradle. He released a tired sigh, something he had been doing a lot recently. Figuring it was none of my business, I went back to eating the salmon. Even though it had grown a bit cold around the edges, the flavor itself was still remarkably breathtaking.

"Is everything okay?" I cautiously inquired as he sat down on the stool next to me.

"There's nothing for you to worry about, I assure you. Just questions from the estate on how to better care for the mistress," he smoothly answered.

I let out a short burst of laughter immediately covering my mouth after seeing the death look on the demon's face.

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?" I mentioned taking another bite of salmon happily.

"You seem to be the only one to take notice of that," he pointed out before removing the glove from his right hand once more. I observed his actions through curious, confused eyes as he swirled the tip of his black nailed finger in the lemon butter of the salmon.

"If you're hungry you can have so—"

I stopped midsentence when he took that buttered finger and wiped it across the tip of my nose causing my eyes to go wide from shock. This was not normal Sebastian behavior.

Upon seeing my wide eyed expression, a deep, healthy burst of laughter emitted from between the demon's lips. I was stunned to see an actual, full blown, genuine smile on the handsome butler's face. His face completely changed when he smiled. He went from looking like a condescending butler to a free spirited young man. The latter appearing more like a devilish god rather than just plain handsome.

An evil smile spread across my face as I picked up the little of what was left of the salmon and smashed it into his face. His laughter abruptly stopped as the flakes of salmon slid off his chin to land in his lap. He slowly trailed his tongue around the edges of his mouth licking off any remaining traces of the fish.

"You're going to regret that," he calmly replied.

A smile broke out across my face. "I think I already do," I chuckled. Those red eyes flashed purple. Laughing, I jumped off my stool and sprinted towards the bedroom only to run straight into Sebastian's arms and tackle him to the ground.

I laid there on top of Sebastian laughing over the events that just occurred. I had never expected the head butler of Hunt Estate to participate in such childish games, but it seemed we were all just little kids at heart. No matter if we were big, bad demons serving as butlers to a sadistic mistress.

My laughter abruptly died on my lips when Sebastian touched a cool hand to my face. I had nearly forgotten that he had removed one of his gloves. I vaguely wondered where it might be lying. His hand slid around to the nape of my neck and drew my face in towards his.

"Sebastian…" I whispered. I yearned for those lips to caress mine, but at the same time I was afraid that after such a thing he might return to being cold and uncaring towards me.

"Just once…" his voice was a husky timbre. "Just once I will give into my hunger."

With that he pressed those fiery warm lips to mine causing my body to explode with an overwhelming wave of scorching heat. Swept up in the moment, I tangled my fingers in the velvet soft strands of the demon's black locks and pressed our bodies closer together. Not commending the fact I was on top of him, Sebastian wrapped his arms around my waist and quickly rolled us over. My back was pressed against the cool marble floor of the bedroom causing chills to run down my spine colliding with the immense heat Sebastian was overflowing my body with.

I wrapped my slender legs around his hips, moaning when Sebastian gently nipped my bottom lip before moving his mouth down the column of my throat. Seeing that long length of neck of his exposed while he nibbled gently at my own throat, I took the chance I had been given and bit the area where his neck met his shoulder. I felt Sebastian's body shake against my own seconds before my legs fell back to the ground and a rush of cold air swept across my body from his sudden absence.

I quickly sat up and gazed up at him through concerned eyes as he stood with his back to me in the doorway.

"Sebastian? I-I'm sorry if I hurt you…"

"Get some rest, Miss Ember. We have a long day ahead of us for tomorrow," he answered closing the bedroom door behind him as he left.

Tears formed along the rims of my eyes at those words. There hadn't even been a slight tremor in his voice at having to recover from the passionate kiss we had just shared. It was like it hadn't even affected him even though I knew he had wanted that to happen just as badly as me.

Angrily swiping the fallen tears from my cheeks, I jumped to my feet and tossed myself onto the bed.

I stared out at the view of the city up until the moment my eyes finally surrendered to the power of sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry it has taken me so long to update. A lot of things have been going on recently and I had writer's block for a while xP**

**Anyways I hope this update was worth the ridiculously long wait xD**

**Enjoy! Please review as always :)**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

It was nice not having to worry about covering my ears as we shopped from store to store for the day. For once I didn't have to feel like I was hiding a part of myself and pretend to be something that I wasn't. It was also nice not having to go hungry and steal any items I needed to survive. Sebastian had been true to his word, mostly, when he had said that there wouldn't be any fittings for today. Instead, today had been a day for me. Not the "Coraline Hunt" me, but the actual me.

After what had happened the night before, it surprised me that he had decided to take me out shopping for more clothes. Although my wardrobe was mostly made up of maid outfits, I was glad to have a larger variety of outfits for my whole whopping one day off per week. If I thought about it though, I could even think of these few days as a vacation off from cleaning up after that sadistic bitch's messes all the time. Not only that, but I had been given the rare opportunity to spend those few days alone with the demon butler I had been obsessing over for the past month.

At the moment Sebastian and I were back at the hotel resting after a long day of traveling from store to store. Even though it was barely five o'clock in the afternoon. I was sitting on the couch flipping through one of the magazines I had bought at one of the stores when the hotel phone rang. My head snapped up at the sound; my eyes swinging over towards the bathroom door where Sebastian was taking a shower.

With a grunt I stood up from the couch and picked the phone up off the hook.

"Hello?" I answered reaching for the magazine that I had left on the couch.

"Lux?" a surprised, male voice asked. My fingers were just inches away from the magazine when I jerked back at the familiar sound of Alderin's voice.

"Oh hey, Alderin, what's up?" I questioned popping the 'p' deciding to just forget about the magazine for now.

"Did Sebastian tell you anything after our conversation last night?"

"Um, he just said that you had called to ask questions on how to better care for Coraline. Why?" With his nervous question, my interest had suddenly become piqued. Especially since Sebastian had never told me the real reason Alderin had called.

"He's lying to you," Alderin futilely informed me.

I rolled my eyes already knowing how terrible a liar the demon could be.

"Tell me something I don't know, Alderin," I chuckled.

"No, Lux, he's _lying_ to you. Not just about what he told you yesterday about our conversation, but about this entire trip," Alderin quietly confessed.

"Wait, what?" I hissed. My eyes lifted up to the bathroom door as my heightened sense of hearing picked up on the faint sound of the shower water still running. We were okay…for now.

There was a frustrated, impatient sigh on the other end of the line. I could almost see him scrubbing a hand down his face.

"Coraline never ordered for him to take you out with him to run errands. She doesn't even know you're _gone_. I almost got torn to pieces yesterday because I let it slip that you were with him! Please tell me you aren't in on this plan?" Alderin angrily whispered.

My eyes widened at the realization he was accusing me of assisting Sebastian with this.

"Of course not, Alderin! Don't you think if I would have known that then I would have given you specific notifications on _not _to say anything to Coraline?" I shot back. The water was still running in the bathroom thankfully. We had another couple minutes at most.

Alderin released a breathy chuckle of relief over the phone.

"I know, I know. I was just making sure. I didn't think you knew which is why I called hoping you would pick up so I could tell you. Although I am honestly surprised he let you answer the phone."

"He's taking a shower," I told him.

"That would explain it then. Anyways, you need to return NOW, Lux. Not later, but NOW. I'm not sure my brother and I can hold her off for too long. We're trying to be as careful as we can to not mention you, but considering that you're one of the only maids she actually took a liking to…that's kind of hard," he admitted.

"How in the world do you expect me to come back right now without having a good explanation for Sebastian?" I quietly snapped. My eyes widened in alarm when I no longer heard the sound of the shower water running. How long ago was the water turned off?

"I don't know!" Alderin squeaked nervously picking up on my own tension. "Just make up something good li—"

"How do you expect me to _lie _to a _demon_?" I growled into the phone.

"If you aren't here by tonight, I will come ge—"

"Who are you talking to, Miss Ember?" a familiar, British voice questioned. Even without glancing over my shoulder to see the look on his face, I knew his eyes were dark with irritancy.

"Gotta go," I quietly mumbled.

"Lux, wai—"

The rest of his words were cut off as I slammed the phone back down on the receiver and pivoted on my heel to face Sebastian. Only he wasn't standing by the doorway to the bathroom like I thought he was. Instead he stood with his hands clasping the sides of his waist as he stared straight at me with that soulless red gaze.

Except it wasn't his gaze I had a hard time looking away from. It was the fact that he was standing in the bedroom doorway wearing his typical pair of black dress slacks and a white button-up dress shirt…except it wasn't buttoned. Not at all. My eyes raked down the length of his toned, muscled chest that was exposed thanks to the completely open shirt. His skin was a smooth, ivory color that expanded over each rippling muscle of his abdomen. Those muscles flexed with each tiny movement he made as he inhaled a deep breath into his lungs before slowly releasing it. It was hard not to be captivated by those little ripples of muscles across his athletic chest.

Water dripped from the ends of his raven black hair to splash onto his naked collarbone where it trailed down the center of his chest. My gaze followed each and every glimmering path of water as it made its way slowly downward. What was this man trying to do to me? Kill me by setting my body internally on fire with these rare moments of flashing me his sexiness?

My eyes finally flashed up to meet his gaze which had grown even more irritated by each passing second that I didn't answer his question.

"Um…it was just the front desk," I nervously chuckled refusing to meet his gaze as I snatched up my magazine from the couch. I took my seat on the cushion and began flipping through pages once more. I needed to do anything that would distract me from that dripping wet sight of pure manliness.

"The front desk." It concerned me how he didn't even pose it as a question.

"Yepp," I confirmed popping my 'p'. "They called wondering if we would be interested in a complimentary bottle of champagne." Even I could hear how terrible my lie was.

"I see," he replied thoughtfully. My eyes stayed glued to the magazine page as I heard the softest sound of footfalls pad closer to the spot where I was sitting. Sweat broke out along my brow and across the palms of my hands as I heard the faintest flutter of his shirt fan out from his body as he leaned over the back of the couch. A few drops of water from his hair splashed onto the shoulder of my shirt. It took everything I had to keep my breathing even as I felt him lean in closer; his breath washing hot over the side of my face.

"You, Miss Ember, are also a terrible liar," he whispered in my ear.

"I never claimed to be otherwise," I quietly claimed trying so hard to focus on the words before me on the magazine.

"That is very true," he breathed touching his lips to the sensitive spot on my neck just below my ear. Shivers raced down my spine at the warm contact of those lips to my flesh; the cool drops of water from his hair only made my skin feel hotter.

"Sebastian!" I abruptly shouted out as I quickly whirled off the couch and stood up. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he slowly stood up from where he had been hunched over the couch.

He cocked a brow in curiosity at my sudden outburst.

"How about we take a walk, yeah?" I anxiously asked him.

"If that is what you wish. Just allow me to finish dressing," he smiled turning his back to me. I slowly released my breath as he walked away to head back into the bedroom. Even after he had closed the door behind him, my heart rate was still racing at a mile per minute.

Surely on this walk not only would it clear my head, but it would also help gain me some answers as well.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

After Sebastian had finished dressing in his typical butler uniform, we left our room to head out of the hotel for our walk. Neither of us knew where exactly we were going. Neither of us asked the other where we should go. Sebastian and I had lapsed into a comfortable silence as we walked wherever our feet led us.

As we moved silently along the sidewalk, avoiding running into anybody who crossed our path in the early evening, thoughts began to swim inside my head. Alderin said Sebastian had lied about this entire trip. He had admitted to me that Coraline hadn't even known I was gone. So if Coraline had never ordered for her demon butler to take me along with him…then why was I here? Why had Sebastian taken me along if I was only going to get in his way? If I was only going to take up his time?

Sebastian had told me before we left that errands typically only took him a day or less to accomplish, so why bring me along to slow him down? What did he have in mind? He didn't need me to try on Coraline's clothing to make sure they fit properly. There was absolutely no reason for me to be here with him except for us to pester one another. Alderin was right. I needed to get back to the estate before Coraline figured everything out and reprimanded us both. Not that it mattered to him I'm sure since he couldn't die, but I could. And I did not fight so hard to live while out on the streets to die by the hand of some spoiled rich girl. I had to know why he lied to me.

"Sebastian," I blurted his name causing him to swing that ruby gaze down at me. We continued to walk down the darkened sidewalk that became illuminated by the streetlights. I hadn't realized that it had grown to be night as we walked around the large city along the winding pavement.

"Yes, Miss Ember?" he asked curiously. A slim, black brow arched high over that ruby orb; the corner of his mouth turning down into a slight frown.

I quickly glanced away feeling my ears flatten against my head as I thought over the question I wanted to ask him. He was the type of person to completely clam up if an inquiry was worded wrong. I needed him to give me a full explanation for what he did. Not a cryptic, short answer that left me with more questions than answers. Yet, I knew deep inside, Sebastian admired nothing more than someone being completely honest with what they wanted. It was the very same thing I admired. That honesty he had always shown to me is what had initially attracted me to him, so why would he lie now? Surely there was a good reason.

I took a deep breath knowing that even if it did cause him to clamp his mouth tightly shut, being completely honest about my intentions was the best path to go down.

"Why did you lie to me?" I boldly asked turning my gaze up to analyze his face and see if he would give away anything. His face remained completely emotionless as he stared straight ahead.

Soon the only sound that could be heard was the light clicking of our feet on the cold concrete as we walked down the sidewalk. The wind sliced through the air cutting deep into my skin like the sharp edge of a cold blade. Although I typically loved the frigid autumn air tonight seemed to be chillier than usual. I wrapped my coat tighter around my small body as I buried my hands deep into the pockets.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Miss Ember," Sebastian answered. I heard the shifting sound of a coat before an overwhelming warmth cloaked my entire body. Eyes wide, I gazed up at him to see a tender smile gracing that handsome face.

"Y-you didn't need to—"

"It's quite all right, Miss Ember. The coat is merely for appearances. The cold does not affect me," he assured making sure the coat was securely wrapped around my shoulders. Being considerably shorter than the demon, the coat's hem nearly scratched against the cement as we continued to walk along.

We turned down a small cobblestone path that led into a beautifully lit park. There was not a single piece of trash lying across the blades of the grass nor were there any vulgar graffiti spray painted along the wooden benches. Something I was not used to seeing in a park. At least that was more of a sight I was used to seeing back home in our smaller city.

"Sebastian, why did you lie to me?" I reiterated slipping my hand out of the warmth of his coat to gently grab onto his arm. The butler stopped at the touch of my hand; his raven black hair shone blue under the white light of the park lamp.

"Alderin told you," Sebastian's question left his mouth more as a statement. There was no reason for me to answer him when he already knew. He had known exactly who it had been on the phone earlier.

"I need to get back to the estate before both of us endure her wrath," I softly told him letting my hand drop away from his arm to fall limply back to my side.

"Are you afraid she might kill me?" he teased turning to face me. The light from above cast shadows along his face accentuating the sharp features of his cheekbones and the straight bridge of his nose. His face glowed under the illumination of the white light leaving me breathless at his ethereal beauty. Right now at this moment, Sebastian didn't look like a demon, but an angel with eyes that burned red, the color of passion and strength.

"It's not your death I worry over," I quietly admitted unable to break myself away from that hypnotic gaze.

Sebastian rested a gloved hand softly on my jawline. His thumb rubbed gently across my cold cheek almost as if trying to warm it back up after the icy winds had nearly frozen it.

"You should not worry over your death either, Miss Ember," he said almost soundlessly. His deep, British voice had dropped to below a whisper and I was unsure of the reason why. I slipped a hand over his to keep it held against my face wishing he would take off his gloves so I could feel the whisper of his skin brush against mine.

"Why did you really bring me along, Sebastian? What is all of this about?" I inquired. My voice trembled slightly, but not because I was cold. It was because there was another feeling growing from within the deepest recesses of my heart that caused me to shake. It was a feeling I was unfamiliar with and was unsure of how to handle it. It only came along whenever I was around this mysterious demon that fascinated and angered me.

I watched as Sebastian's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed back the tension that always seemed to take over his body. Those broad shoulders relaxed immensely as he brought his other hand up to cup my face gently between his palms. The hand that I still had stuffed into my jacket pocket rose from its warm cave to interlace my fingers through his against my cheek. Our eyes were locked on with one another; I could feel my heart hammering loudly against my chest the way it did anytime his eyes began to glow a light fuchsia.

"Miss Ember…I brought you with me because…" Sebastian nervously began. My eyebrows rose in surprise. Sebastian was never nervous about anything. His speech was always impeccable hardly giving time to pause between words.

"Yes?"

"It is because I—"

"Sebastian," a cold voice rang out into the night. I watched Sebastian's eyes grow wide a split second before every emotion left his face. He slid his hands out from beneath mine leaving my cheeks to grow red from the sudden chill that blew across the sensitive skin.

"So nice to see you again."

My eyes followed Sebastian's to stare at the silhouetted figure where the voice had come from. The demon turned to face the shadowed shape, his hand coming up to rest above his heart as he bowed ever so slightly. My brows bunched together in confusion wondering who this mystery person was. It wasn't Coraline for the figure was too short to be her. Plus, they had a walking cane.

"Master Ciel, it has been quite a long time."


End file.
